THE Lapu-Lapu City Government is bracing for the arrival of thousands of youth delegates joining the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) next month.
The City is working with the police, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC)-Lapu-Lapu Cordova Chapter and barangay leaders to ensure the safety and security of about 5,000 delegates who will participate in the IEC Youth Day activities in Hoops Dome on Jan. 27 and 28.
Andy Berame of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said contingency plans are being prepared in case of unexpected events like earthquake and even terrorism.
Heightened alert
Senior Supt. Armando Radoc, chief of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, said the police are on heightened alert during the Christmas season all the way to the IEC.
The IEC, whose main events will be held in Cebu City, will be held from Jan. 24 to 31.
The Youth Day includes the “Jericho Walk” on Jan. 28 where delegates will walk from Hoops Dome to Mandani Bay in Mandaue City.
Berame said preparations for the walk, including traffic schemes, are still being discussed.
Vicjay Gonzal of the PRC Lapu-Lapu Cordova Chapter said ambulances and paramedics will be deployed in Hoops Dome and other areas where there are Youth Day activities.
Berame said the youth participants will be welcomed in different parishes around the city on the night of Jan. 27, with “barrio fiesta” as theme for the welcome dinner.
Six parishes will separately hold a welcome dinner for the delegates.
“It will be challenging because we have to assign an incident management team in every venue to secure the participants,” Berame said.
Medical team
Gonzal said a medical team will also be assigned in each of the venue.
Berame said he prefers that classes will be suspended on Jan. 27 and 28 to ease road traffic during the Youth Day events, but that it is up to Mayor Paz Radaza.
Radaza earlier asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 to postpone the repair of the first Mandaue-Mactan Bridge until the IEC is over.
She said the repair will cause heavy traffic, especially during the Jericho Walk.
Frank Brazil, head of the City Traffic Management System, also said the DPWH 7 should first finish the ongoing work on Plaridel St. in Mandaue City before starting the bridge repair, which will involve closing some lanes on the bridge.
Once the bridge repair starts, some vehicles will be diverted to the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge. Vehicles coming from Ouano Ave. in Mandaue City will have to take Plaridel St. in going to U.N. Ave., which leads to the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge.