Friday, November 10, 2006
'Normal' in Cebu during summit holidays
CEBU CITY -- Except for some road closures, major traffic rerouting and tight security throughout the city, it will be a "normal" holiday in Cebu City during the Asean summit next month, an official said.
Public utility vehicles (PUVs) will continue to ply their routes and malls will be open, but schools and offices will be closed from December 11 to 14.
Cebu City Asean Task Force head Nagiel Bañacia warned, though, that the traffic rerouting and security measures that will be implemented will cause great inconvenience to the public.
"There will be a lot of policemen everywhere and there will be several roads that will be closed at certain hours. In short, there's really a great deal of inconvenience during the pre-summit and the summit," he told reporters Thursday.
In a phone interview on Thursday, Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem dispelled rumors that malls and department stores will be closed for the duration of the summit and that the PUVs will not be plying their routes.
"I cleared that with the mayor and he said malls will be open. The rumors have been circulating the past days, and it's not true," he said.
Bañacia said the most crucial day for Cebu City will be on Dec. 12, when the spouses of the heads of state will have their tour of the city.
Portions of major roads in the city will be closed, including those leading to the Family Park in Barangay Talamban and roads leading to the Cebu Provincial Capitol.
The spouses of the participating heads of state will unveil the Asean Friendship Garden at the Family Park, where a P400,000 bamboo-inspired artwork of artist Raymund Fernandez will be featured.
The sculpture will symbolize Asean friendship, Bañacia said in a report on updates for the summit preparations, which he submitted to the City Council.
Apart from First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and the spouses of the 18 heads of state who will be joining the tour, some 1,000 performers from local schools will also be at the five destinations included in the itinerary.
The tour will coincide with the fiesta celebration of the Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is why maximum security is required, Bañacia said.
Bayan Muna and its affiliate militant groups will also gather in Cebu during the summit for a national protest caravan.
During the tour, the committee in charge of the spouses' program will feature the American era in Cebu at the Capitol grounds.
Performers will also showcase the life of Cebuanos on a Sunday at the Fuente Osmeña circle, with the park providing the appropriate backdrop, Bañacia said.
At the junction of Colon St. and Osmeña Blvd. fronting Gaisano Metro, performers will show the visitors the Chinese influence on Cebu and the rest of the country.
The tour will end at the Basilica del Sto. Niño, where the candle vendors will perform their rituals.
Roads that will be covered by the tour will be partially closed on December 12.
"We are appealing to the public not to watch the performance during the tour of the delegates so the areas will be easier to secure," Bañacia said.
Anyway, he added, the public will get the chance to watch the performances during the dry run, tentatively set on Dec. 6. (LCR of Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (November 10, 2006 issue)
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