Monday, March 17, 2008 Authorities to secure Holy Week travelers
THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) buckled up for Holy Week by providing assistance center and additional buses all over Metro Manila.
LTO Chief Alberto Suansing said they would launch "Oplan SumVac (summer vacation)" to assist motorists coming in and out of Metro Manila starting March 17 to March 31.
"We have already assigned LTO officers in all entry and exit points in Metro Manila especially the North and South Luzon expressways to guide motorists and passengers," said Suansing.
He said LTO mobile patrol units in coordination with LTFRB officials have been dispatched to bus terminals to make sure that passengers will reach their destinations safely and to maintain the peace and order in Metro Manila.
LTFRB chairman Thompson Lantion released more than 50 permits to Metro Manila buses to operate during the Holy Week to accommodate all the passengers going to their respective provinces. He also assured the public that comfort rooms and first aid stations would be provided in terminals in cases of emergency.
On the other hand, operations of both the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) will stop for four days during the observance of the Holy Week.
In a statement, the MRT management revealed that from March 20 to 23 (Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday), operations of the public transport would be suspended.
The management will use the four-day lull in the operation to check their trains and repair of damage couches and the like.
"In observance of the upcoming Lenten season and to give way to our yearly maintenance check of the system, operations of the Metrostar Express will be suspended from March 20 to 23, 2008 (Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday)," said the MRT.
The LRT likewise revealed that they are also suspending their operations for four days for the same reason.
The normal operations of both facilities will resume on March 24.
The twin government public transport facilities are servicing about 500,000 commuters daily.
The high passenger record was due to the effectiveness of the trains to transport their passengers to their respective destinations on time.
The MRT is plying the Edsa route from Pasay Rotonda up to North Edsa in Quezon City vice versa, while the LRT Line 1 plies Baclaran to Monumento and the Line 2 is from Santolan in Pasig City to Recto in Manila.
In a related development, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has also set in motion its traffic contingency plans this Holy Week in coordination with other government agencies.
MMDA Traffic Operations Center executive director Angelito Vergel de Dios said they have already set up public assistance centers along major thoroughfares and along the entrance to the South and North Luzon expressways.
He said emergency vehicles and heavy equipment are also alerted along with the newly launched "First Responder's Team" of trained rescue men, who are also on call ready to respond to any traffic accidents.
De Dios said the public could report any traffic accidents and ask for traffic updates and road situations at the agency's 24-hour Traffic Operations Center. (AH/Sunnex)
