MANILA, Philippines - Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Francis Tolentino said the traffic caused by the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) event on Monday could have been worse if not for the preparations made by their agency.
In a phone patch interview on ANC, Tolentino said since weekend, they have been advising people to avoid the affected areas and take alternative routes instead.
"Kung wala tayong ginawa, 'yung 'do nothing scenario,' modesty aside, kung hinayaan na lang, ay baka hindi tayo gumagalaw (vehicular traffic) hanggang hatinggabi mamaya," said Tolentino.
"We could have been in a worse position," he added.
Some Filipinos who were irked by the traffic caused by the INC medical mission went to Twitter to vent their frustrations.
Among those who were not spared by the heavy traffic was Supreme Court Spokesman Theodore Te, who criticized Tolentino, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno.
“Someone allowed this to happen, right? The mayor of Manila? The department of the interior? The head of MMDA? So far no one has man'd up,†Te said in his official Twitter account.
Read: SC spokesman blasts MMDA, Erap for traffic caused by INC event