Quezon City to reroute traffic near cemeteries

MANILA, Philippines - Police will implement a rerouting of traffic flow along roads leading to cemeteries in Quezon City on Nov. 1 and 2.

“As early as Oct. 31, we will deploy uniformed and plainclothes policemen in public and private cemeteries to ensure the security of people paying their respects to their departed loved ones,” Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Superintendent Elmo San Diego also said in a statement.

According to San Diego, personnel from the Metro Manila Development Authority and the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety will also help in the rerouting.

Superintendent Rudie Valoria, head of the QCPD’s Traffic Enforcement Unit, said the traffic rerouting will start at 4 a.m. on Sunday.

Valoria said near the Manila North Cemetery, trucks and buses from Balintawak bound for Manila via A. Bonifacio Road should turn left on Sgt. Rivera street, right on D. Tuazon street, and right on Calamba street.

He said trucks and buses from Manila bound for Balintawak should take Maria Clara street, turn left on Banawe street, left on Sgt. Rivera street, then right on A. Bonifacio Road.

Private vehicles, jeepneys and taxicabs from Balintawak going to Manila should take Mayon street (which will be one way from Del Monte Avenue to Sct. Alcantara street), turn right on Retiro street, left on Dr. Alejos street, and right to Don Manuel Agregado street going to Blumentritt.

Private cars, jeepneys and taxis going to Balintawak from Manila shall take Retiro street – which is one way from Blumentritt Extension to Mariveles Street – then take CDC (formerly Tacio) street, left on Angelo street, right on Sgt. Alcaraz, left on Speaker Perez and left on Del Monte Avenue on to A. Bonifacio Road and Balintawak.

Private vehicles, jeepneys and taxis coming from San Francisco Del Monte taking Del Monte Avenue could turn left on Mayon Street and follow the route from Balintawak.

According to Valoria, vehicles will not be allowed to enter Novaliches Cemetery. He said vehicles from Gen. Luis shall turn right on Dona Isaura and take Sarmiento street and exit at Quirino Highway.

He said vehicles bound for North Caloocan could exit through Susana Road, take a left turn at Millionaires Village leading to Green Fields 3, then turn left on Susana Road, all the way to BF/Bagumbong in Caloocan City.

Valoria said vehicles will not be allowed to enter the Parokya ng Pagkabuhay Cemetery in Bagbag, noting that it is too small.

Vehicles will be allowed inside Eternal Gardens Memorial Park through Leyte Drive as entry point and Baesa Gate as exit point. Valoria said entrance is one way for all vehicles from Reparo Service Road to Bagong Barrio Gate through the North Diversion Road. 

He said Maxima Drive will be closed to traffic and serve as an exit to Quirino Highway beginning 2 p.m. on Nov. 1. Leyland Drive will serve as entry point for incoming vehicles to the cemetery.

As for Holy Cross Memorial Park, entry point for vehicles will be at the back of Green Heights Subdivision and the exit point at P. dela Cruz street all the way to Quirino Highway.

Valoria said that at Himlayang Pilipino, the entry point for all vehicles will be at Himlayan Avenue and the exit point at Philand Drive Subdivision. Another exit point will be the St. Anthony School Road leading to Napocor Village.

He said there will be no closure of roads for Bagbag Cemetery, Baesa Cemetery, Holy Cross Memorial Park and the Himlayang Pilipino.   – Reinir Padua