Monumento project inauguration highlights Bonifacio Day rites

Caloocan City Mayor Reynaldo Malonzo leads government officials in celebrating today, Sunday, the 140th birth anniversary of the Great Plebeian, Andres Bonifacio, in Monumento, Caloocan City.

Highlighting today’s event is the inauguration and blessing of the controversial three-meter wide "Historical Walk" in the middle of EDSA some 100 meters going up the base of the 73-year-old Bonifacio Monument.

The walk straddles EDSA going up to the famed Guillermo Tolentino obelisk, recently declared by the National Historical Institute (NHI) as a historical landmark and a cultural heritage, at the crossroads leading out to Quezon City in the East, to Malabon-Navotas in the West, to Valenzuela City in the North and to the City of Manila in the South.

The program begins at 3 p.m. today to be preceded by a military-civic parade where city officials, city hall employees, students and non-government organizations (NGOs) are expected to take part.

Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. will be the guest of honor along with tourism NCR director Reynato Chua representing Tourism Secretary Richard "Dick" Gordon and NHI director Ludovico Badoy.

Malonzo invited the public to participate in the celebration and the inauguration of the historical walk, long the bane of motorists, public and private, for aggravating the already choking traffic situation in the area.

The route going to Valenzuela has been effectively closed. Jeepney drivers mostly raised a howl over what they claimed as a "more circuitous route."

In the past, vehicles coming from Manila through the Rizal Avenue Extension simply had to go around the circle and straight to MacArthur Highway, but now they have to turn right at EDSA, turn left at the U-turn slot some 100 meters up right and back toward MacArthur Highway.

Despite the criticisms, the mayor said the traffic problem was only temporary and will adjust by itself sooner. Malonzo said that now that the project has been completed, anyone who would like to visit and admire the most beautiful obelisk ever built in the country at even closer range can now view it without risking the possibility of getting hit by passing vehicles.

Fireworks display and a dragon dance courtesy of the local Chinese community will be featured after the program.