Half the length of Pope John Paul II Ave. will be closed to traffic from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. from January 25 to 30 for the International Eucharistic Congress. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Commuters and motorists in Cebu City have to keep in mind which roads will be closed and what hours they will reopen during the Jan. 25 to 30 International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu City.
Traffic and security measures were firmed up yesterday in a meeting at City Hall with the Cebu city Government, Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) and regional police.
Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo, IEC secretary general, said CCTO already gave the go-signal for the traffic plan but more details for rerouting options and other refinements will still be made.
The main venue, the IEC Pavilion in Mabolo will require the closure of half the length of Pope John Paul II Ave. (former Juan Luna Avenue) from the corner of Archbishop Reyes Ave. near the TESDA Regional Office to Cardinal Rosales Ave. corner Ayala access road.
It will be closed to all vehicles from 5 a.m. until 9 a.m. from January 25 to 30.
However, it will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to allow vehicles to pass and avoid heavy congestion.
Villarojo said that by that time, most of the delegates are already inside the IEC Pavilion.
Some major roads in the downtown area will also be closed to give way for the preparation of the masses.
On January 29, a Friday, a large foot procession will take place after 4 p.m. Mass outside the Provincial Capitol with people walking down Osmena Boulevard to Plaza Independencia.
Road closure will start 1 a.m. to 8 p.m. affecting the road from the Capitol building up to corner Avila St. in preparation for the afternoon Mass.
In the morning of January 30, a Saturday, 5,000 children will gather for their first Holy Communion at the Abellana school grounds.
Nearby roads including both lanes of Osmeña Boulevard from corner P. del Rosario and RR Landon St. will be closed for the event.
Details of where vehicles can drop off passengers and park are still being fine-tuned and will be announced when the plan is complete, said CCTO acting department head Rafael Yap.
“We will finish the final version in time to prepare motorists for the event,” he said.
Uniformed security personnel will accompany delegates on their bus and be visible in every bus stop.
Villarojo said police offices of Bohol and Siquijor are ready to send reinforcements similar to the arrangement during recent the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Cebu.
The policemen will be lodging at Cebu International Convention Center and old Sacred Heart School.
There’s a pending request with the Department of Education to declare a selective school holiday in affected areas during the week-long IEC. A decision will be known in early January.
Catholic private schools like the University of San Carlos, Sacred Heart School and St. Theresa’s College have already announced there will be no classes for their students during the IEC.