NCRPO chief irked by traffic plan

Metro police chief Director Reynaldo Varilla scolded on Monday an official of the Traffic Enforcement Group (TEG) for failing to prepare a comprehensive traffic re-routing plan for the coming All Saints’ Day celebrations on Nov. 1.

An irate Varilla directed Superintendent Leonides Maganto, representative of Superintendent Senandro Jalgalado, TEG officer-in-charge (OIC), to coordinate with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the operations division of the National Capital Region Police Office (NRCPO) to come out with a re-routing plan in the vicinity of cemeteries for the occasion.

"We should have a re-routing plan this early detailing the affected areas to inform the public in advance what roads to take to their destinations," said Varilla as he gave Jalgalado two days to finish his job. "The re-routing plan should be at my office on Wednesday so we can ask our friends in the media to publish them."

Varilla met with his five district directors and staff officers, including the TEG at Camp Karingal in Sikatuna Village in Quezon City to assess the police districts’ security preparations in 63 cemeteries in Metro Manila on Nov. 1.

After the five district directors finished with their briefings, Maganto, who represented Jalgalado, presented a briefing for Varilla on the TEG plan for All Saints’ Day.

Varilla cut short Maganto’s presentation and shouted why Jalgalado failed to attend the briefing on TEG’s re-routing plan.

When told by Maganto that Jalgalado was attending to a family problem, Varilla pointed out that the TEG chief could have advised the NCRPO of his absence through his cellphone. "Gusto nating magbigay ng magandang serbisyo sa publiko, pero kung wala tayong detailed re-routing plan mako-confuse lang ang mga tao. Magkabuhol-buhol ang trapiko at baka mauwi na naman sa barilan ‘yan," the fuming Varilla said.

Varilla said that he wanted a smooth flow of traffic during the All Saints’ Day and the succeeding All Souls’ Day celebration.

He said the TEG should make a detailed re-routing plan to include what thoroughfares would be closed to motorists and the roads they should take towards their destination.

"Dapat ilang araw pa lang may re-routing plan na tayo dahil ang publiko ay magpa-plano rin kung saan sila lulusot patungo sa mga sementeryong kinalibingan ang kanilang mga yumaong mahal sa buhay," said Varilla.

The Metro police chief said he wanted the TEG to play an important role in the NCRPO’s security preparations for cemeteries in Metro Manila.

Aside from the uniformed policemen, the NCRPO would also deploy force multipliers like the radio-communication groups, security guards, civilian volunteers, barangay officials and government workers for the All Saints’ Day celebrations.