Davao City grappled with heavy traffic during the Pasko Fiesta festivities, particularly Banda Dasig and Parada sa Pasko, on Friday afternoon, December 22, 2023.
Dionisio Abude, Chief of the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), explained to SunStar Davao in a phone interview that although they opened Roxas Avenue and San Pedro Street, traffic in the downtown area won't immediately ease.
“Dili man dayon ma hawa ang mga sakyanan. Gi open na natu ang Roxas, gi open na natu ang CM Recto, kay katung mga contingent naa lang sila diri sa Rizal Park, sa may Cathedral, so close gihapon ang San Pedro bya karon sa kadaghan tao, syempre sa kadaghan tao. Mag-hinay-hinay pa ta og ka luag-luag gina manage nato (The vehicles won't be able to leave then. We have opened Roxas Avenue and C.M. Recto Street because the contingent are only here in Rizal Park, near the San Pedro Cathedral. So, San Pedro Street is still close due to the bulk of people. We will slowly ease up, we are managing it),” Abude said.
He underscored the need for patience, attributing the heavy traffic to the approved Pasko Fiesta activities by the City Government of Davao.
Abude also acknowledged the increased foot traffic on Fridays, particularly for individuals heading home for the holiday season.
He said that Duterte instructed that contingents should not perform along Roxas Avenue and instead proceed to Rizal Park as the standby area before moving to San Pedro Square, Abude mentioned.
To alleviate the traffic situation, he explained the efforts made to open both Roxas and San Pedro, allowing the flow of vehicles.
FRUSTRATION
Commuters, however, expressed frustration with long waiting times for public transportation due to the congestion.
Rizabel Tero, a commuter, shared in a Messenger interview with SunStar Davao that she has been waiting for an hour along Maa for a Public Utility Jeepney (PUJ) to take her to the review center in San Pedro.
However, most PUJ drivers are reluctant to return to the downtown area due to the heavy congestion.
“Maybe siguro pag ing ani naa mga event ang government na makaapekto gyud sa mga commuters siguro dapat mag unsa silag mga free rides para at least malessen ang burden sa mga commuters tapos, siguro maghatag silag alternative route para di ing ani ka traffic gyud (Maybe, when the government holds events that significantly affect commuters, they should consider providing free rides to lessen the burden on commuters. Additionally, they might want to offer alternative routes to avoid such heavy traffic),” Tero said.
Similarly, Bannie Basilisco, a minimum wage earner, expressed his dismay over the severe traffic situation, “It's so draining because people are running some errands for the Christmas celebration. I hope next time we will not close the roads when there’s a celebration or holiday we are preparing just like this.”
Meanwhile, Jennifer Romero, officer-in-charge of the City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO), announced program changes in Banda Dasig and Parada sa Pasko on her Facebook account.
The 3 p.m. parade was canceled, with attendees encouraged to join directly at San Pedro Square for an evening of performances and a festive showcase of Christmas spirit.
Banda Dasig and Parada sa Pasko are integral parts of Pasko Fiesta, showcasing Dabawenyos' unique approach to musical contests, similar to Kadayawan's drum and bugle tournament. RGP