No holiday for APEC

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Organizing Committee for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit said there is no need to declare holiday during the international conference.

Lito Maderazo, overall coordinator of the local organizing committee, noted that the main meetings fall on Saturday and Sunday when there are no classes and work.

He, however, said that declaration of holidays, which is meant to avoid APEC delegates getting caught in traffic, would still be an option, it would only be resorted to when there is really the need.

“It is always contingent. But at this point of time, there is no need to declare holidays,” he told The FREEMAN.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III agreed, saying there is no need to suspend work and classes.

“I-manage lang gyod ang traffic mao ra man ang importante. As long as traffic is managed well wa man tay problema. Most delegates will also be escorted,” he told reporters.

Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., APEC 2015 director general, said during his visit to Cebu last week that the National Organizing Committee has not discussed yet the declaration of holidays.

He left it to the discretion of the local government units concerned based on their assessments.

Full alert

The Police Regional Office-7 ordered all units to be on full alert already since delegates have already started arriving.

Chief Superintendent Prudencio Tom Bañas, PRO-7 director, said his men should continue and intensify their vigilance in conducting checkpoints inside the region to avoid an incident similar to what happened in Thailand recently, when a blast inside a religious shrine in Bangkok left least 20 people dead last Tuesday.

He said that they are doing continuous intelligence monitoring for the delegates’ safety and security.

In Cebu City, acting police director Marciano Batiancela Jr. reprimanded two police stations after they failed to follow the schedule of conducting checkpoints.

He said personnel of the two stations were not in their supposed area conducting a checkpoint when he made an inspection last Monday night.

He, however, said the policemen concerned have already explained why they were not in their supposed area of assignment.

He said the two police stations responded to an alarm, which had to be attended to first.

Rerouting scheme

To decongest the routes APEC delegates will traverse in proceeding to their meeting venues starting tomorrow, the Cebu City Transportation Office rerouted public utility jeepneys yesterday.

The sudden implementation of the rerouting scheme “surprised and hassled” commuters.

CCTO Operations Chief Jonathan Tumulak said his office has expected the complaints from the commuters and the public.

The hotels that will house the delegates are Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa in Lapu-Lapu City, Radisson Blu Cebu in Cebu City, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino, and Marco Polo Plaza Cebu in Cebu City.

With the changes, CCTO will not allow public utility jeepneys to traverse Pope John Paul II Avenue from the junction of Serging Osmeña Avenue to Archbishop Reyes Avenue.

“Atong gi-minimize ang vehicles nga moagi along Pope John Paul II Avenue to Salinas Drive to Marco Polo. Atong gi-cut short ang ubang routes,” Tumulak said.

He said CCTO has distributed flyers on the rerouting scheme to PUJ drivers and some passengers last Wednesday afternoon for the public to prepare for the rerouting yesterday.

Supposedly, the rerouting scheme would be implemented starting August 22 yet.

“Na-change according sa APEC’s national organizing committee kay kailangan pod mi mo-adjust basi sa security requirement nila. I hope mosabot lang ang mga tao for the security of the delegates and ilaha pod,” he said, adding that the rerouting will be implemented until next month.

Tumulak urged the public to brace for further changes in PUJ routes as authorities tighten the security of APEC delegates.

“Everyday, dunay meeting ang NOC maong adunay posibilidad nga naay changes gyod. Andam lang gyod pirmi for changes,” he said.

Also yesterday, the APEC National Organizing Committee conducted a traffic dry run from Lapu-Lapu City to Cebu City.

Tumulak said the convoy started from Mactan Cebu International Airport in to Marco Polo Plaza Hotel, traversing the new bridge, Plaridel Street, Ouano Avenue, Serging Osmeña Boulevard, Pope John Paul II Avenue, and Salinas Drive. — Jean Marvette A. Demecillo, Michael Vencynth H. Braga, Ma. Fatima R. Secuya/RHM