CEBU Gov. Hilario Davide III urged traffic managers in the first district to help each other in ensuring that traffic, especially in Minglanilla, is managed well to avoid gridlock during Holy Week.
Davide issued the statement after receiving word that the Minglanilla Municipal Government plans to close a portion of the national highway for a few hours tomorrow, on Good Friday and on Easter Sunday for religious and cultural activities.
Organizers of this year’s Sugat Kabanhawan Festival are expecting at least 15,000 people to visit the town to watch the festivities on Easter.
In a press conference, Davide expressed his concern about Minglanilla’s traffic plan because the closure of the national highway, even for a few hours, would hamper movement toward southern Cebu and back, in the midst of one of the peak travel seasons.
Davide said he was assured by Minglanilla Mayor Elanito Peña that the diversion road they prepared will ensure that traffic will remain smooth.
Should traffic in some parts of the first district worsen, Davide ordered the Capitol’s focal person for traffic management Jonathan Tumulak to implement the necessary changes.
Tumulak said he and personnel of the PNP Highway Patrol Group will go around the first district starting today to check if there are areas that could be affected by traffic. Aside from Minglanilla, officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) were persuaded to order the contractor of a road widening project in Barangay Pitalo, San Fernando to suspend their work for now until Easter Sunday.
Equipment moved
In an interview, Engr. Leslie Anthony Molina, DPWH Second Engineering District head, told SunStar Cebu they have ordered the contractor, AR Adlawan Construction Inc., to remove its heavy equipment from the road. He also ordered the contractor to place signs near their work site to warn motorists of potential hazards.
Francis Sanguenza, Minglanilla Traffic Command operations head, told SunStar Cebu that their diversion road from Sitio Sangi in Barangay Calajoan to Barangay Tungkop is now set for today’s religious activities.
For motorists using the diversion road starting today, Sanguenza reminded them that vehicles that have six wheels and more, if going south, are required to exit in Barangay Tungkop. Those with four-wheel vehicles and motorcycles are required to make a right turn toward Springwood Subdivision and exit on the national highway.
This way, congestion on the diversion road will also be prevented.
Motorists passing through Minglanilla were reminded that the national highway will be closed at 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today; 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Good Friday; and 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Easter Sunday.
Organizers of the Sugat Kabanhawan Festival said the event will be heavily secured by police and military personnel.
Supt. Verniño Noserale, Minglanilla police chief, said that 44 officers from the Cebu Provincial Police Office and 16 from the Police Regional Office will start arriving in Minglanilla on Saturday.
At the same time, 16 personnel from the Philippine Army will be deployed in Minglanilla to assist the local police.
Tight security will be in place within the Minglanilla Sports Complex, where the ritual showdown will be held.