Police escort APEC delegates passing through the S. Osmena Road at the North Reclamation Area which was cleared of jeepneys. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Passenger jeepneys were prohibited from entering some major roads in the North Reclamation Area starting yesterday for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings.
The Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) implemented a sudden rerouting scheme for jeepneys passing SM City and and Pope John Paul II Ave. (formerly Juan Luna and San Jose dela Montaña) to reduce vehicle volume.
CCTO operations chief Joy Tumulak said they had to adjust earlier planned rerouting schemes due to security requirements by the APEC National Organizing Committee.
Affected public utility jeepneys (PUJs) include those with route numbers 03Q, 06H, 04L, 04M, 09J, 10H, 08F, 01G, 12E, 12G, 12I, and 12J.
“We have to control the volume of vehicles that pass through J. Luna until Salinas Drive to Marco Polo Plaza. One of the areas where we decided to cut short jeepney routes is those in the NRA,” Tumulak told reporters.
Vital
The rerouting will continue 24 hours a day until September 7.
Juan Luna Ave. is a vital passage way that connects hotel venues for the meetings, which will have delegates shuttling from one site to another.
Jeepneys that travel around SM City cause traffic congestion along the portion of S. Osmeña Road from corner Kaohsiung St. to corner J. Luna Ave.
Jeepneys coming from other areas and going to SM have to stop along J. Briones St. and J. De Veyra St. across the mall so commuters can just walk when they need to go there, Tumulak said.
First wave
The new scheme surprised thousands of commuters. Many were late in getting to work since they couldn’t find jeepneys along J. Luna Ave.
Flyers were distributed to some drivers and commuters in the affected routes just last Wednesday.
Drivers were asked to paste the advisories in their jeepneys so passengers would know.
Tumulak said they expected complaints and resistance to the reroute scheme.
“But we just hope the public will understand. This is not just for the security of the high-profile delegates in the convoy. We are also looking at the security of passengers that pass by the area,” Tumulak said.
Tumulak said this is just the first wave of rerouting to be implemented to ease traffic during the APEC meetings.
He said more rerouting schemes will be staged based on their observations, recommendations and meetings with the APEC-NOC.
Commuters to and from Cebu City were caught by surprise with yesterday’s reroute scheme.
Anticipate
Lapu-Lapu City resident Mary Flor Cortez said she waited for 30 minutes at the van-for-hire terminal in SM City Cebu before learning from other commuters that no jeepneys were passing by.
Cortez had to hail a taxi to visit her father confined in a Cebu City government hospital.
Cebu Daily News saw several commuters lining the road from SM City Cebu to Cebu IT Park.
Mall employee Maria Licah Ligutom reported late for work.
The the 04L jeepney she rode took a different route.
“Ok ra man unta kung well-informed tanan para at least maka anticipate ang mga tawo (It would have been good if the commuters were informed in advance so they could anticipate the change),” she said.
Leaflet
Jeepney driver Gapito Neri said he already made six trips in his 04L route, and spent more on gasoline than the P550 he earns daily from his trips.
He said many passengers were irked because they had to walk a few meters to get to SM, he said in Cebuano.
Neri said their operator gave a traffic leaflet for guidance of the rerouting scheme early morning yesterday.
A Joint Tactical Operations Center was set up in Cebu Parklane Hotel to monitor the routes and ensure the safety of the APEC delegates.
Chief Supt. Prudencio Bañas, PRO-7 chief, said a joint national task force to oversee the operations.
More than 3,000 police personnel were deployed to secure the venues and delegates.
Banas said the police are on full alert in light of the recent bombings in Thailand. /Correspondent Apple Mae Ta-as with a report from PIA and Correspondent Chito Aragon