Pnoy, Mar also due tomorrow: Binay here today

CEBU, Philippines - As the filing of candidacy draws near, this vote-rich province is now being frequently visited by those who want to win in the upcoming local and national elections.

Today, Vice President Jejomar Binay, who was accused of graft and corruption charges, will be in Cebu for the nth time this year to meet with his leaders and supporters.

Sheila Uy, Binay’s liaison officer for Visayas, said Binay will be at the Waterfront Hotel in Mactan, Lapu-Lapu City, at 8 a.m. for a press conference with the Cebu media.

After that Binay will be visiting public markets in Punta Engaño in Lapu-Lapu City, and in Barangays Luz, Kamputhaw, Calamba, Alaska Mambaling, Duljo Fatima, and Sawang Calero in Cebu City.  He will have his usual boodle fight for lunch.

Pnoy also coming

Meanwhile, President Benigno Aquino III will also be here tomorrow together with his appointed successor, Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Aquino and Roxas will be at the Cebu Coliseum at 2 p.m. for the “Gathering of Friends” a gathering of Liberal Party members and supporters in Cebu.

With the arrival of the president on Monday, the Cebu City Transportation Office will implement another rerouting scheme.

CCTO Executive Director Rey Gealon said Ian Lucero of Department of Interior and Local Government requested CCTO to extend traffic operations and management along the route where the president is expected to traverse.

With this, Gealon said his office has come up with a traffic plan in the city’s downtown area where the president is expected to pass through.

The arrival of the president will affect the traffic along Sanciangko Street since he is going to attend an event at the Cebu Coliseum.

Gealon said CCTO has prepared two options for the rerouting, asking the public to prepare for the both rerouting schemes.

For the first option, CCTO operations chief Jonathan Tumulak said Sanciangko Street will be closed to vehicular traffic starting 8 a.m. to noon, and also the section from Leon Kilat Street to Borromeo Street.

Tumulak said the entrance and exit driveway of the mall along Sanciangko Street will be closed from 8 a.m. to noon.

For the second option, he said all vehicles passing along Sanciangko Street bound for Panganiban Street or Taboan market shall turn right or left to Osmeña Boulevard and to their destination.

He said all vehicles passing along Natalio Bacalso Avenue will go to Leon Kilat Street, turn right to Osmeña Boulevard and to their destination.

“All PUJ’s coming from Alcantara Street shall turn left to P. del Rosario Street, right turn to Junquera Street, to their usual route, then to their point of destination. In going back to origin while traversing along Sanciangko Street, shall turn right to Osmeña Boulevard, left turn to P. del Rosario Street, right turn to Alcantara Street, then to point of origin,” he said.

Tumulak said the rerouting will depend on the situation.

“Depende sa sitwasyon kay mag-agad man ta sa PSG (Presidential Security Group) kun asa mo-agi. Basta kita, andam lang ta,” he said. — /BRP (FREEMAN)