INSTEAD of driving motorcycles, devotees and participants joining the traslacion on the Mandaue City side this Friday side are encouraged to ride their bicycles.
Glenn Antigua, chief for operations of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team), said a group of cyclists will join the motorcade, which takes the icons of the Holy Child Jesus and Our Lady of Guadalupe from Cebu City to the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City.
Antigua said riding bicycles during the motorcade will not contribute to air pollution and will promote awareness to protect the environment.
Postponed launching
The traslacion, which precedes the Sinulog festival, is taking a new route this Friday. Instead of the usual Mabolo-Subangdaku route, the motorcade will pass through the Banilad-Talamban area.
Antigua said some City Hall employees will ride their bicycles and will wait at the boundary of the cities of Cebu and Mandaue with Mayor Jonas Cortes, who will join a turnover ceremony for the religious icons.
“We hope that others will also ride their bicycles,” he said in a press conference organized yesterday by the Mandaue City Public Information Office.
The City has been eyeing a dedicated lane for cyclists. The lane was supposed to be made available last month but city officials decided to postpone the launching because of impending road works and big activities in Cebu this month.
Welcome change
Florentino Nimor Jr., executive director of Team and acting head of the City Planning and Development Office, earlier said that a bicycle lane will encourage more people to ride a bicycle rather than driving motorcycles and cars, which contribute to air pollution and traffic.
This Friday’s traslacion will pass through Jakosalem St., Gorordo Ave., and Archbishop Reyes Ave. going to Barangay Banilad in Cebu City; then it will turn left to A.S. Fortuna St. in Mandaue City, take the A.S. Fortuna Ext., proceed to A. del Rosario St. and turn to S.B. Cabahug St. where the National Shrine of St. Joseph is located.
Mayor Cortes will wait for the motorcade at the corner of Gov. Cuenco Ave. and A.S. Fortuna St. for the turnover of the images of the Holy Child Jesus and Our Lady of Guadalupe from Acting Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella.
Lawyer Paulino Yabao, a representative of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, said the change was welcomed by residents near the new route.
“Let’s give people in the northern part of Cebu City and the Banilad area to experience the joy of having the traslacion in their area,” he said.
He said the motorcade will take the old route next year.
Yabao also said the passage of the Holy Child Jesus and Our Lady of Guadalupe will also serve as a blessing for the newly upgraded A.S. Fortuna St.