INC centennial celebration peaceful

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga , Philippines  – The celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) was generally peaceful, except for the humongous traffic jam it caused at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

There was no untoward incident as more than 3,000 policemen were deployed at the vicinity of the Philippine Arena at Ciudad de Victoria in Bocaue, Bulacan, Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta, Police Regional Office-3 (PRO3) director told The STAR.

But commuters and motorists had to endure almost five hours of heavy traffic since Saturday afternoon as the northbound lane of NLEX from Marilao to Bocaue exits were used as parking space for the buses and other vehicles that ferried those attending the INC celebration.

The “strictly no parking” signs along the expressway leading to the Philippine Arena a few days before the event were curiously missing.

A two-lane counterflow on the southbound lane for vehicles going north did little to ease the traffic snarl until Sunday afternoon.

The southbound lane of NLEX was also affected.

On its Twitter account, a bus company advised its passengers “northbound and southbound to bring snacks, water in view of NLEX traffic situation.” Another post said passengers should bring “extra snacks and a book to read.”

Police said that at least one million INC members and guests attended the event.

Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado said no crime incident was reported within the vicinity of Ciudad de Victoria.

He commended policemen, particularly those from Police Regional Office 3, and personnel of the Metro Manila Development Authority and Armed Forces of the Philippines for the “herculean task” of aiding and ensuring the safety of more than one million people.

Alvarado and MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino, who was tasked by President Aquino to head Task Force Sentenaryo, supervised the deployment of traffic and security forces in the vicinity since Saturday.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Council and Philippine National Red Cross also sent 13 ambulances and set up more than 20 first aid stations.

Alvarado said he declared a holiday in the entire province of Bulacan yesterday to make way for cleanup and other post-INC centennial operations.

Tolentino blamed hordes of usiseros or kibitzers for the massive traffic buildup, which started from Mindanao Avenue leading to NLEX.

In an interview over radio dzMM, Tolentino said the flow of the buses of delegates was orderly, but curious onlookers also began arriving and parked in areas not designated for them. – With Perseus Echeminada