PART of Osmeña Blvd. in Cebu City will be closed for three hours on Wednesday, April 24, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., for the opening procession of the National Youth Day 2019.
Because of the closure, the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) will reroute private and public vehicles.
CCTO operations chief Francisco Ouano said they expect the temporary closure of the road will cause heavy traffic near the area.
“We are expecting around 40,000 participants. That is why we urge those with no urgent and important commitment near the procession route to avoid the area,” he said.
The procession will start at 6 p.m., but no vehicle will be allowed to pass Osmeña Blvd. starting at 5 p.m.
The procession will start at the Cebu City Sports Complex and will move on to P. del Rosario St., to Osmeña Blvd., to F. Gonzales St., Magallanes St., then to Magellan’s Cross and will end at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.
Ouano said as soon as the procession has passed, Osmeña Blvd. will be opened to traffic again.
Ninety traffic enforcers will be fielded.
Private and public vehicles coming from from Lahug, Apas and Ayala passing N. Escario St., will have to access R.R. Landon St., Junquera St., Sanciangko St. and Pelaez St. towards the downtown area.
Public utility jeepneys (PUJ) and private vehicles coming from N. Bacalso Ave. take Leon Kilat St., turn left to Magallanes St., turn left to Borromeo St., to their usual route.
PUJs coming from Talamban and Pit-os with Route Nos. 13B, 62B and 62C while traversing V. Gullas St., take D. Jakosalem St., to their usual route.
PUJs and private vehicles coming from Guadalupe and Banawa areas take V. Rama Ave.
Anticipating the crowd volume, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Chief Debold Sinas has put his men on red alert starting today, April 23.
Sinas also said he has doubled security in the wake of the bombings in Sri Lanka that targeted three Christian churches and three hotels on Easter Sunday.
He said the intelligence group is monitoring security every day, and so far, it has not run into adverse reports.
About 12,000 delegates from all over the Philippines are expected at the National Youth Day hosted by Cebu.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma held mass on Monday morning, April 22, to send off some 3,000 volunteers.
Palma said he was saddened by the loss of lives in Sri Lanka, and he urged everyone to exercise sobriety and to pray for peace.
Palma said the Cebu Archdiocese trusts the police and other law enforcers to keep everyone safe and secure during the five-day NYD.
Cebu has 52 host parishes and nine festival sites.
Only NYD-issued backpacks are allowed inside the venues. (RVC & FMD, MPS)