During Palaro: No road closures — Garcia

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has ordered the suspension of road closures during the course of the Palarong Pambansa, which the city is hosting from July 6 to 16, for the city to cope with the expected high volume of traffic.

This, as organizers announced yesterday that a Palarong Pambansa application is set for launching this Friday, July 5, to provide real-time updates and information about the event to the athletes, parents, and spectators alike.

Features of the app include the overall medal tally by delegations based on participating regions, sports categories, live streaming of every sport, emergency contacts, news articles published, and the schedule of the games.

The Palaro being a national event attended by thousands of visitors, the app also includes tourist sites as potential places to visit later on.

Supported by AboitizPower and UBX, the app is available for both Android and Apple users.

On the road closure issue, Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) Assistant Head Kent Jongoy, during the “Open Line News Media Forum” yesterday, said Acting Mayor Garcia already ordered the Traffic Management Coordinating Committee to come up with a resolution disallowing road closures (existing or requested) starting on July 8.

The mayor, he said, wanted the Palaro delegates to not experience transportation delays, as much as possible.

Jongoy also said that all CCTO traffic enforcers will be deployed, except those who work as administrative personnel, not just to man the traffic but to also escort each delegation to their destinations, including the playing venues and the billeting quarters.

“Kanang CCTO is a 24-hour ‘round-the-clock deployment sa mga traffic enforcers. So, we will double our efforts nga every delegate, from their billeting areas or schools going to their sporting events, naa gyud na silay convoy or escorts, in order for them not to be late,” he said.

“Kinahanglan nga ang dagan sa trapiko sa kanang mga lugara smooth as possible, para di pod tawn sila ma-late sa tagsa-tagsa nila nga sporting events,” he added.

City of Talisay Traffic Operations Development Authority (CTTODA) Head Jonathan “Joy” Tumulak, on the other hand, said they would observe maximum tolerance in enforcing traffic regulations, as their contribution to the hosting of the biggest sporting event in the country.

With Cebu City providing preferential treatment to the Palaro delegates, it is very likely that it would have a spillover effect in terms of heavy traffic to the neighboring localities, like Talisay City.

“Ngano mo-implement mig maximum tolerance? Tungod kay amo sad gihatagan og pagsabot ang mga drivers, labi na gyud og dunay drivers na gikan sa laing probinsya nga wala masuhito sa atong mga traffic rules,” Tumulak said.

Jongoy urged the public, particularly motorists, to really follow traffic rules and regulations for the success of the Palarong Pambansa in Cebu City, noting that “road safety is a shared responsibility.”

On the Palaro app, Anton Mari Perdices, AboitizPower Distribution Group chief operating officer, said it is useful to the athletes’ family members who are unable to come to Cebu City to watch the games.

"They'll be able to have a one source, one-stop-shop app to see the schedule of the game when their children are playing, the score after their children are playing," Perdices said.

UBX CEO John Januszczak, on the other hand, said he is excited to bring Palaro to the digital age.

"We see digital as a way to improve people's lives and allow people to have more access and opportunity," he said.

He assured the app is already developed and they are ready to input the data once the Palarong Pambansa officially starts.

He said the app is also updated real-time as the game progresses, but the billeting quarters, playing venues, and schedule are still being incorporated, as of this writing.

Cebu City Sports Commission Chairman John Pages said that aside from the region, the app will specify what city and school the winning athlete comes from.

“With the request of the Philippine Sports Commission, they will narrow it down to specify the LGUs...and even I think down to the specific school where that particular athlete won...to also give due recognition to the city, LGU, and even the school,” Pages said.

“Since that would be posted in the website, we will incorporate that. Whatever details, tallies, and all that would be posted in the website, we are going to mirror that in the app and make it as real time as possible,” he added.

Meanwhile, Garcia described the Palaro app as a “very good” development, adding that he is excited of its “endless possibilities, as it can also benefit Cebu City constituents in some other ways in the future.

“Can you imagine if you have an app like that for Cebu City residents?” he said.

“They will get all the information from there which hospitals, for example, is accredited with CHAMP? What are the procedures and processes and who to approach? If you have a problem on a pothole on the road… you can take a picture and just show it as well so that we (all) will be aware (of it),” he cited examples.

He thanked Aboitiz Power and UBX for caring for the city by creating the app and having it available for free.

“It’s proper for me to thank Aboitiz and UBX for this app. Again, this does not cost a single centavo for the City of Cebu. They’re doing this out of the generosity of their hearts and desire to help out the City of Cebu,” Garcia said.

In response, Januszczak said they just wanted to Cebu City to successfully hose the Palaro.

“We’re always here. We are Cebuanos and the Aboitiz Group really cares about Cebu and the future of Cebu…. So, (we are) more than willing to help,” he said. — CNU Interns Nicholas Jon Malaga and Jonalyn Infante (FREEMAN)