City set to roll out traffic plan ahead of Kalag-Kalag

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Traffic Office (CCTO) is set to roll out one of its largest traffic management plans of the year ahead of next month’s Kalag-Kalag observance, a period when thousands of families traditionally visit cemeteries to honor their departed loved ones.

The observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, or Kalag-Kalag, is deeply rooted in Filipino culture and often brings heavy traffic, crowded streets, and bustling vendor activity, prompting city authorities to enforce strict safety and traffic measures.

The mix of devotion and commerce has historically led to congestion and safety risks, which the CCTO seeks to address through detailed deployment strategies.

This year, the CCTO is mobilizing 553 personnel across the city’s major cemeteries, making it one of the largest traffic operations of the year.

The plan, shared by the Cebu City Information Office, includes traffic enforcers, towing teams, sweepers, mobile patrols, engineering staff, and deputized Land Transportation Office officers, alongside specialized task forces to monitor vendors and non-motorized transport.

Communication units and the Eagle’s Eye monitoring team will provide real-time coordination and surveillance.

At Calamba Cemetery, 21 personnel will oversee traffic rerouting, parking zones, and vendor regulation, with restrictions on trucks, buses, tartanillas, and e-bikes.

Queen City Memorial Gardens will deploy 11 personnel to enforce a ban on public utility jeepneys, trucks, and buses while providing designated parking for visitors.

Talamban Catholic Cemetery and Cabantan Public Cemetery will each have 10 personnel, with road closures implemented to prioritize pedestrian safety and parking reserved exclusively for emergency vehicles.

Cebu Veterans Memorial Park will be manned by eight personnel, with strict prohibitions on entry and parking for non-emergency vehicles.

Pardo Cemetery will have 15 personnel, with parking reserved for one fire truck and one ambulance, while on-duty personnel will be required to park inside the Pardo Church compound.

Vendors will be confined to designated street areas.

Cebu Memorial Park will have nine personnel deployed to enforce no-parking rules within the cemetery’s vicinity and restrict entry by public utility vehicles.

Carreta and Doña Pepang Cemeteries will have the largest deployment, with 25 personnel managing traffic along Gen. Maxilom Avenue and M.J. Cuenco Avenue. Parking will be allowed in designated areas, but restrictions will apply to PUJs, MPUJs, trucks, and buses, except those serving the Mabolo route.

The same plan indicates that vendors will be permitted only in designated roadside areas, while emergency responders will retain exclusive parking rights.

The CCTO emphasized that these measures are not only logistical but also serve as cultural safeguards, ensuring that families can observe Kalag-Kalag safely and in an orderly manner.

By balancing traffic flow, vendor activity, and emergency access, the city aims to preserve the solemnity of the occasion while minimizing the risks associated with overcrowding. — (FREEMAN)