MMDA to close Manila, Pasay roads for INC event

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will close roads in Manila and Pasay cities to give way for an event of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) on May 6, the MMDA announced yesterday.

MMDA general manager Jojo Garcia said portions of Roxas Boulevard, Diosdado Macapagal Avenue, Buendia Avenue, Taft Avenue and Road 10 would be closed to motorists due to the INC event dubbed “Worldwide walk to fight poverty.”

Garcia said the road closures would start at midnight of May 5 until 10 p.m. the next day.

“Stay away from Roxas Boulevard and other areas in Manila and Pasay if you do not have any business or anything important to do there,” he said.

Garcia said the MMDA would deploy 200 personnel to man traffic in these areas.

Thomas Orbos, Undersecretary for roads of the Department of Transportation, asked INC members joining the event to use the Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit in going to the venue to avoid traffic jams.

“We urge them to park their vehicles away from the venue,” Orbos said.

Bus terminals shut down

Meanwhile, the MMDA closed down yesterday six bus terminals along EDSA for traffic violations.

Bong Nebrija, supervising operations officer of the MMDA, said they shut down the terminals of DLTB Co., Alps, Lucena Lines Inc., Superlines as well as two terminals of Raymond Transit for violating the “nose-in, nose-out” policy.

Under the rule, bus drivers are not allowed to maneuver outside of their terminals so as not to create traffic congestion along EDSA.

Nebrija said the terminals of the bus companies were previously closed down for operating without business permits.