Over 2,000 MMDA men deployed for Undas

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) deployed yesterday 2,456 personnel as part of 2014 Oplan Kaluluwa to secure and assist the public in cemeteries in the metropolis during All Saints’ Day.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said the agency’s operations would be in effect until Nov. 2.

He said the MMDA teams include street clearing units, flood control and enforcers of the Traffic Discipline Office.

Tolentino added that the MMDA has also begun clearing and cleaning the various large cemeteries.

He said MMDA personnel started cleaning the Manila North Cemetery at about 4 a.m. yesterday.

In addition to the cemetery clearing and traffic management teams, he said they also deployed porters to help senior citizens at bus terminals with their belongings.

MMDA teams with breath analyzers would also be deployed at bus terminals to detect and apprehend drunk bus drivers.

Tolentino advised motorists not to leave valuable items inside their parked vehicles that might attract thieves.

Emerson Carlos, MMDA assistant general manager for operations, told reporters yesterday that the focus of operations will be the following cemeteries: Caloocan City (North Cemetery, La Loma); Las Piñas (Golden Haven), Makati (South Cemetery), Malabon (Tugatog), Mandaluyong (Mandaluyong Public Cemetery, San Felipe Neri Catholic Cemetery), Manila (North Cemetery, South Cemetery, Manila North Greenpark), Marikina (Barangka Cemetery), Muntinlupa (Soldiers Hill), Navotas (Navotas Cemetery), Parañaque (Palanyag Public Cemetery) and Pasay (Sargento Mariano Public Cemetery); Pasig (Baraks, Santolan and Roman Catholic Cemetery), Pateros (Garden of Memories, Aglipay Cemetery, San Joaquin Cemetery and San Roque Cemetery), Quezon City (Bagbag, Novaliches, Sangandaan), San Juan (San Juan Cemetery), Taguig (Hagonoy Municipal Cemetery) and Valenzuela (Karuhatan, Arkong Bato).

Carlos said the MMDA would deploy ambulances at the Manila North Cemetery, Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina, Dangwa bus terminal in Manila, Philtranco bus terminal in Pasay City and at the Timog Rescue Base in Quezon City.

The MMDA will also set up public assistance centers with tents and ambulances at the Manila North Cemetery, South Cemetery, Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina and at Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.

In addition, the MMDA will also be deploying its “Agila 1” and “Agila 2” mobile command centers for sending real-time video footage to the MMDA’s Command and Communications Center in Makati City.

The Marikina City government will implement traffic re-routing along roads leading to the Loyola Memorial Park and other cemeteries to prevent congestion.

The City Transportation Management and Development Office (CTMDO) said A. Bonifacio Ave. would be one-way starting at noon of Oct. 31 and vehicles going to Marikina City from Quezon City will only be allowed to pass by.

G. Puyat Street will also be one-way northbound, while J. Cruz Street will be one-way southbound. Lopez-Jaena Street will be open to two-way traffic for emergencies, government vehicles and tricycles only.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima yesterday placed on heightened alert status all police units in time for the holidays.

Purisima ordered all police commanders to map out their respective security plan for the cemeteries.

PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Wilben Mayor said the heightened alert level took effect yesterday at 6 a.m. as advised by the PNP Director for Operations or four days before the Nov. 1 holiday.

Mayor said the full alert status will be raised from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3, or two days before and two days after All Saints’ Day.

The Central Luzon police will start deploying policemen as road safety marshals along national highways on Thursday as part of security measures for All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day this coming Saturday and Sunday.

Senior Superintendent Ronald Santos, Central Luzon police deputy regional director for administration, said the police teams would be deployed to various transport terminals in the region to secure commuters coming from Manila and other provinces from Southern Luzon.

Several policemen would be dispatched to different malls such as SM Pampanga, SM Clark, Marquee, Robinsons and other malls to ensure that shoppers are safe.

Santos said police assistance hubs would be established along the national highway, the North Luzon Expressway and the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway to assist motorists en route to the different provinces in Central Luzon.

DPWH suspends road repairs

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has ordered the suspension of ongoing road repair work in anticipation of the increase in traffic during the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day this weekend.

“We told our district engineers to temporarily suspend ongoing repairs and construction,” Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said yesterday.

Singson was at the signing of the memorandum of agreement on the P2-billion donation by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. for the construction of additional classrooms nationwide.

Last week, the DPWH said it has started vigorous implementation of various highway routine maintenance activities such as pavement, bridge, shoulder and drainage and vegetation control maintenance, especially those leading to both public and private cemeteries. –  With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Janvic Mateo, Non Alquitran, Reinir Padua, Ric Sapnu