3 Metro LGUs gear up for All Saints' Day weekend

MANILA, Philippines - Three local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila announced the preparations they made for All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on Nov. 1 and 2.

Makati City will close several streets starting 12 midnight on Oct. 31 to ease the flow of people at the Manila South Cemetery, Makati Public Cemetery and the Makati Catholic Cemetery. The streets are: Vito Cruz Extension, from Zapote street to South Avenue; Kalayaan Avenue, from Zapote to N. Garcia (formerly Reposo) street; South Avenue, from J.P. Rizal to Metropolitan Avenue; Pililla street, from J.P. Rizal to Kalayaan Avenue; JB Roxas, from J.P. Rizal to Kalayaan Avenue; Kakarong street, from J.P. Rizal to Metropolitan Avenue; Montojo and Yague streets, from Zapote to South Avenue; and Panama and Suez streets, from South Avenue to Zapote street.

City public safety director Hermenegildo San Miguel, however, said that to make way for tents and wooden stairs to be put up around the cemeteries, South Avenue, from J.P. Rizal Avenue to Metropolitan Avenue; Kalayaan Avenue from Zapote street to South Avenue; Vito Cruz Extension, from Zapote to South Avenue will be closed starting at 6 a.m. on Oct. 31.

San Miguel said N. Garcia street will be open to one way traffic from Jupiter street or Metropolitan Avenue to Kalayaan Avenue, and J.P. Rizal Avenue will be two-way from Makati Avenue to Pasong Tirad Street starting 12 midnight of Oct. 31.

“In case of congestion, westbound vehicles will be directed to turn right to Trabajo street and left turn to Hipodromo street toward AP Reyes Avenue,” San Miguel said.

In Parañaque City, officials said that from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, starting at the Lopez Avenue-DASA intersection, Sucat-bound vehicles must take the DASA inner lane while those going to the Manila Memorial Park must stay on the middle and outer lanes. Motorists not intending to go to the MMP may opt to take a short cut by turning right at Lopez Avenue, traversing El Grande and Aguirre, exiting at President Avenue (BF Mcdo) and rejoining mainstream traffic on the eastbound lane of DASA on the way to Sucat.

Motorists going to Baclaran must take the outer lane, starting at the DASA-President Avenue junction while those bound for the MMP must stay on the middle and inner lanes. Motorists who do not intend to stop by MMP may turn left at President Avenue-DASA intersection, negotiate Aguirre, El Grande, exit at Lopez Avenue and merge with the westbound DASA traffic on the way to Baclaran.

Additional alternate routes to and from MMP are: Teoville Gate (along President Avenue, BF Mcdo), which will be open on Nov. 1 from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. (entrance only) and 4:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. (exit only). It will also be open on Nov. 2 but for exiting vehicles only from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

At Caloocan City, Mayor Enrico Echiverri said vehicular traffic will be closed at the Caloocan-Malabon boundary along Tugatog and Letre Road, A. Mabini corner Gen. San Miguel streets in Sangandaan and A. Mabini corner A. Bato to Sangandaan to give way to visitors going to the Sangandaan Public Cemetery.

Motorists going to Eternal Gardens Memorial Park from Sta. Quiteria are advised to take Reparo Road en route to the cemetery’s main gate.

Motorists coming from Quirino Highway, Novaliches, A. Bonifacio and Balintawak are advised to take the Eternal Gardens’ Leland gate.

Motorists from EDSA must take Reparo Service Road in going to the cemetery’s main gate.

All vehicles leaving the Eternal Gardens should exit only at the Baesa gate along Baesa Road, which would be turned into a one-way road, going straight to Quirino Highway.

Those going to the La Loma Cemetery are informed that Cabatuan street corner C3-Road and Rizal Avenue corner C3-Road will be closed to vehicles.

The mayor said motorists from Dagat-Dagatan going to Monumento must turn left on Rizal Avenue while motorists from Monumento going to Manila should turn right on 4th Ave., left on F. Roxas St. (one-way) then to R. Papa and on to their destination. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Rhodina Villanueva, Jerry Botial