PEOPLE going to or from southern Cebu this Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday are advised to leave earlier than scheduled, to avoid getting caught by a planned road closure.
The Minglanilla Municipal Government is set to temporarily close the national highway from Sitio Sangi in Barangay Calajoan to Barangay Tungkop on the afternoon of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday to give way to religious and cultural activities related to the Holy Week and the town’s annual Sugat Kabanhawan Festival.
That stretch of road will be closed from 3 p.m. onwards on Thursday, 4 p.m. onwards on Friday and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Easter Sunday, said Chief Insp. Verniño Noserale.
Ahead of the Holy Week’s peak travel days, at least 30 bikers from the Cebu City Police Office began their Bisikleta Iglesia as part of the police’s information drive for a safe celebration.
Meanwhile, teams from different police offices inspected Cebu’s two largest bus terminals and Cebu City Pier 1 to give away leaflets with safety tips. Among their tips is this: Do not broadcast on social networking sites like Facebook that you are on vacation.
Follow the signs, police chief says
Chief Insp. Noserale, Minglanilla’s police chief, said that once N. Bacalso Ave. will be closed to traffic, they will implement a rerouting scheme.
For motorists traveling to southern Cebu, the rerouting will start in Sitio Sangi in Barangay Calajoan. From the national highway, buses and vehicles with six wheels or more are advised to turn right to Barangay Calajoan then make another right toward Barangay Tulay.
From Barangay Tulay, vehicles must then make another right in Barangay Tungkop Proper and exit on the national highway.
For four-wheeled vehicles and motorcycles, the same route applies but the drivers can take a detour in Springwoods Subdivision, which will exit on the national highway.
Noserale said they will place signs to guide drivers. The local police will also deploy at least 25 officers and 20 personnel of the Minglanilla Traffic Command (Mitcom) to help guide the traffic.
He has also coordinated with factories along the temporary route so they won’t field their trucks.
Noserale advised travelers to travel in the morning or earlier than their usual schedule to avoid getting caught. He also asked motorists, particularly motorcycle drivers, to give way to other vehicles to avoid hampering traffic.
“Dili unta ta magpa-ugat (Let’s learn to give way),” Noserale said.
At least 30 bikers from the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) participated in the Bisikleta Iglesia yesterday as part of the police’s information drive for a safe Holy Week. Officers biked to the Redemptorist Church and other churches.
“The thing about the bicycle is its speed. If we walk, we would take so much time and cover less space. If we patrol with vehicles, we would be too fast and not see what happens on the street. But if we pedal our bikes, we will have enough speed to cover large spaces but still see the things that happen around us and of course, have fun doing our job of keeping people safe,” said Senior Supt. Joel Doria, chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
Fans and safety tips
Police officers distributed flyers with tips for safety during summer vacation and Holy Week. Separate teams also did the same in Cebu’s north and south bus terminals, as well as Pier 1.
Do not broadcast on social networking sites like Facebook that you are on vacation. This is one of the safety tips in the leaflets distributed by officials of Police Regional Office 7, CCPO, and Cebu Provincial Police Office.
“You never know who is going to be reading or listening. Instead, tell a few selected people in your neighborhood so that they can keep an eye on your house,” the security tip added.
Senior Supt. Angelito Dumangeng and Doria led the police officials in distributing the leaflets and foldable fans printed with pictures of the 10 most wanted criminals in Central Visayas.