INC’s Ciudad de Victoria to be opened to public

BOCAUE, Bulacan, Philippines – The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC)’s sprawling Ciudad de Victoria complex here will soon be open to the public as it has been declared a tourism enterprise zone.

INC minister Bienvenido Santiago said that the 55,000-seat Philippine Arena, the largest dome-shaped arena in the world, and other facilities in Ciudad de Victoria would be open to Filipinos and the international community.

The INC reserves the right to determine the activities to be held in its facilities and the activities must conform with Christian principles and values, Santiago said.

As a tourism enterprise zone, Ciudad de Victoria will also host commercial establishments and can be a hub for sports events.

The 20,000-seat Philippine Sports Stadium is finished, while the Philippine Sports Center is nearing completion.

Traffic plan for INC anniversary

Santiago said the INC expects to fill the Philippine Arena and the Philippine Sports Stadium during the religious sect’s grand centennial celebration on Sunday.

The Tollways Management Corp. (TMC) is already bracing for the expected increase in traffic volume along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) starting on Friday when INC members start arriving at the Philippine Arena.

To manage the volume of people and vehicles, the TMC released a list of “critical” interchanges along NLEX, directing motorists where to turn when thousands of INC members flood the Philippine Arena for their centennial.

“Delegates coming from the North going to the Philippine Arena will turn at the Smart Connect Interchange (Mindanao Avenue Link Interchange), while those leaving the Philippine Arena and are Manila-bound will turn at the Tabang or Balagtas Interchanges at the designated U-turn slots just after the Toll Plaza exits,” the TMC said.

“Parking of vehicles will be at the local roads near the Philippine Arena vicinity. Critical areas at NLEX, especially from Meycauayan to Bocaue northbound, will be declared as a tow-away zone during the event so as not to impede traffic flow,” it added.  – With Ding Cervantes, Reinir Padua