Traffic scheme for Holy Week in Cagayan de Oro bared

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/local-news/2017/04/08/traffic-scheme-holy-week-cagayan-de-oro-bared-535699
• Sunday, April 9, 2017

By Pamela Jay F. Orias

THE Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) has imposed a new traffic scheme in Cagayan de Oro City to ensure a peaceful and safe observance of the Holy Week.

All motor vehicles are not allowed to enter Malasag Road, except for the vehicles of city officials, police and RTA service vehicles, fire trucks, ambulance or City Disaster Risk Reduction Department (CDRRMD) vehicles, media-marked vehicles, and vehicles of residents living along the area.

In Tablon area, a no parking, no loading and unloading rule is imposed about 200 meters from the Guadalupe Shrine.

Two areas in the city will be closely monitored by the CDRRMD, Malasag in Barangay Cugman and Guadalupe in Barangay Tablon, where mostly Catholic faithful and devotees are expected to flock.

Allan Porcadilla, CDRRMD chief said its office will set up three camps for the Incident Command Team particularly in villages Balubal and Tablon for trekkers who want to reach Our Lady of Guadalupe, and another camp in Cugman village for its Malasag Hills.

An emergency operations center will also be set-up in the City Hall, ready to respond distress calls.

Police and rescuers visibility will be heightened during this time, Porcadilla said, and that they will be deployed particularly in between rivers to reach to Guadalupe.

"Para sa atong mga pilgrims, una magdala ug water to avoid dehydration, unya in kaso mokalit ug bundak ang ulan or moinit kaayo, magdala gyud ta ug payong, jacket, cap, unya ug muadto didto, bawal magdala ug mga hinagiban, posporo ug lighter, ilimnon nga makahubog (For the pilgrims, we advise you to bring water to avoid dehydration, and in case if it rains or heat is extreme, bring your umbrellas, jacket, cap. It is also prohibited to bring sharp objects, these will be confiscated by our police officers)," he added.

Also, a CDRRMD team the team will monitor the beaches for the Easter Sunday celebration as these will surely be crowded and drowning incidents had been recorded in the past.