Makati rerouting scheme for Undas 2014

This is an announcement from the Makati City Information and Community Relations Department

MANILA, Philippines – The city government of Makati on Wednesday, October 29, announced the suspension of the vehicle volume reduction scheme or number coding on October 31, Friday, and its traffic rerouting plan in line with the nation’s observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on November 1 and 2, respectively.

Public safety chief Hermenegildo San Miguel said towing operations will also be suspended on Saturday and Sunday, while parking areas will be designated for cars and motorcycles for the convenience of those who will be visiting the departed in cemeteries located in the city. 

The 3 cemeteries located along Kalayaan Avenue are Manila South Cemetery, Municipal Cemetery, and Makati Catholic Cemetery has been closed by the city government since 2008.

Plans for the All Saints’ Day weekend were laid out and finalized at the interagency coordination meeting at City Hall on Tuesday attended by heads of concerned city offices and national government agencies.

Police Superintendent Jaime Santos, police deputy chief for administration, presented the security arrangements between Makati and Manila police departments, such as the establishment of advance command posts and police assistance centers, and deployment of bike patrols, covert security, SRU-EOD team, mobile security, and road safety marshals.

The Makati police will also set up checkpoints in strategic areas around the cemeteries to maintain security, as well as at entrances to check for deadly weapons. There will also be foot and bike patrol details, and an assistance booth for missing children.

For his part, environmental services chief Danilo Villas gave assurance that regular garbage collection will continue throughout the observance of the religious tradition and that environmental police teams will be deployed to enforce the anti-littering ordinance. His office will assign street sweepers to work even after 5pm, and it will also conduct an orientation for vendors and food stall operators regarding the plastic ban being enforced in Makati.

Makati Rescue will have stations at South Cemetery and Municipal Cemetery (near entrance at Kalayaan) with around seven personnel each. The fire department, on the other hand, will deploy 40 personnel, a fire truck and an ambulance to its command post at South Ave. corner Metropolitan Avenue.

Some 129 Bantay Bayan personnel of barangays Valenzuela, Tejeros, Kasilawan, Carmona, Singkamas, Sta. Cruz and Olympia, together with volunteers from an NGO group, will be deployed as force multipliers. Officials and staff of barangays within the vicinity of the cemeteries will also put up tents and a command post within their respective areas of jurisdiction. First responders and medical teams of barangays including those far from the cemeteries will also be deployed to provide assistance to the public.

The streets that will be closed starting midnight of October 31 until 12 am of November 2 are as follows:

• Kalayaan Ave. (from Zapote to N. Garcia)
• South Ave. (from Metropolitan to J.P. Rizal), Vito Cruz Extension (from South Avenue to F. Zapote)
• N. Garcia (from Kalayaan to J.P. Rizal)
• Pililia (from J.P. Rizal to Kalayaan)
• JB Roxas (from J.P. Rizal to Kalayaan Ave.).

Other streets to be closed during the same period include:

• Kakarong (from J.P. Rizal to Metropolitan Ave.)
• Montojo (from South Avenue to Zapote)
• Yague (from South Avenue to Zapote St.)
• Panama St. (from South Avenue to Zapote St.)
• Suez St. (from South Avenue to Zapote St.).

Meanwhile, two-way traffic will be allowed on:

• J.P. Rizal (from Pasong Tirad to Makati Avenue)
• Kalayaan Avenue (from F. Zobel to Makati Avenue, and from Pasong Tirad to Zapote)

MAPSA traffic enforcers will guide motorists on the alternate routes in barangay Olympia. In the event that traffic volume in J.P. Rizal and South Avenue builds up, westbound (going to Manila) vehicles will be directed to turn right to Trabajo Street then turn left to Hipodromo Street towards A.P. Reyes Avenue.

One-way traffic will be implemented along:

• Metropolitan Avenue, from South Avenue to Nicanor Garcia StreetN. Garcia St. from Metropolitan Ave./ Jupiter St. to Kalayaan Ave.

Vehicles passing this route can turn right only in going to Makati Avenue. The rest of the roads leading to and from or within the vicinity of the three cemeteries will retain their usual traffic flow.

With the closure of certain streets, traffic will be rerouted as follows:

• Motor vehicles coming from Ayala Ave. Extension going to J.P. Rizal Ave. via South Avenue must turn left to Metropolitan Ave., then turn right to Zapote St. or Pasong Tamo towards destination.
• Motorists from Jupiter going to Pasong Tamo via Metropolitan Ave. must turn left to Nicanor Garcia St, turn right to Buendia Ave., turn right to Ayala Ave. Extension, and left to Metropolitan Ave. towards destination.
• Vehicles coming from Jupiter St. going to J.P. Rizal Ave. via N. Garcia St must turn right to Kalayaan Ave., left to Makati Ave., and left to J.P. Rizal Ave.

One-side parking will be allowed on the following streets:

• Kalayaan Ave. (from Reposo Street to Salamanca Street/ northside)
• N. Garcia Street/ Reposo (from Kalayaan to Metropolitan Ave./ westside)
• Metropolitan Ave. (from South Ave. to N. Garcia Street/ southside)
• Ayala Extension (from Malugay Street to the driveway near Toyota Bel-Air/ eastside)

Other streets where one-side parking will be allowed are as follows:

• Metropolitan Ave. (from South Ave. Ext. to Pasong Tamo/ northside)
• Bagtikan Street (from Kamagong to Guijo Street)
• Inner streets of barangays Valenzuela, Sta. Cruz, and Olympia, which will be managed by the traffic enforcers of the barangays.

Security within the South Cemetery will be provided by PNP-Makati, with the assistance of Manila Bantay Bayan, PARDDS, Citizen Crime Watch, Eagle Squad, Mike Delta Force and PNP/CVO.

The public may also call Makati’s emergency hotline 168 for any inquiry or assistance needed. Other PLDT numbers connected to 168 are the following: 870-1920, 870-1923, 870-1926, 870-1929, 870-1932, 870-1935, 870-1940, and 870-1942. – Rappler.com