CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) Head Raquel Arce yesterday advised candidates in the October 30 Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan Elections to seek clearance from their office for their respective miting de avance, ahead of time.
Such gatherings, which the Commission on Elections scheduled on Oct. 28, often spills into roads that CCTO wants to know ahead which streets would be affected or if the locations are acceptable.
“Unsa man nang mga dalana? Pwede ta mo-close og dan kung secondary roads. Sa ato pa, dili siya ang main thoroughfare,” she told the Cebu City Public Information Office.
She said that if the activity could not be held anywhere else, CCTO may allow it on the main thoroughfare, but only at night time and that the stage should not be built along the road as it would surely affect traffic flow in the area.
“Kana gyod magtukod ka's stage unya mag-install ka, dili man na mahuman one hour. Ii-install na nimo ala-una sa hapon, makabara na ka sa trapiko. Mao na ang atong gilikayan,” Arce said.
She suggested for candidates to use a drop-side truck as mobile stage so speakers during the miting de avance would go up without any hassle.
Better yet, candidates use private or vacant lots for the event.
“Among hangyo sa CCTO nga unta...atong likayan ang dalan, main thoroughfares, unya likayan sad nato ang oras sa rush hours, aron dili mo maka-contribute sa congestion sa trapiko sa inyohang barangay,” Arce said.
Requests for road closures are forwarded to the CCTO-Traffic Management Council, which is led by City Councilor Rey Gealon.
“Hangyo lang ta, especially sa naa sa katungdanan ug sa kining atong mga kandidatong nagpapili. Simple lang kaayo ni sila nga mga balaod, ato ni siyang tumanon, mo-set ni’g example ninyo nga angay diay mong pili-on, “ Arce said. — /RHM (FREEMAN)