Makati to close streets near Circuit for Caracol

MANILA, Philippines - Streets near the Circuit in Makati City will be closed Sunday for the annual Caracol Festival – Makati’s official festival.

Makati Public Safety Department (PSD) chief Hermenegildo San Miguel said the stretch of Hippodromo Street from Liwayway St. to A.P. Reyes St. will be closed to traffic, as well as the stretch of A.P. Reyes St. from J.P. Rizal to Pascua St. at 3 p.m.

The said areas will be used for the assembly and parade of hundreds of participants prior to entering Circuit Makati grounds for the festival’s main event – the dance competition.

Portions of streets adjacent to Hippodromo St. will also be closed, specifically streets of Liwayway, Sampaguita, Kakarong, Zapote, Hiwaga and Economia.

According to San Miguel, only the gate of Circuit Makati near Taliba St. corner Hippodromo St. will be open to the public.  Thus, only event organizers, participants and special performers will be allowed to enter through the other gates.

Vehicles plying J.P. Rizal going towards Taft Avenue shall go straight past A.P. Reyes St. instead of turning right.  Those bound towards EDSA/Guadalupe may take Kalayaan Avenue, which will be open to two-way traffic. Jeepneys plying the Mantrade-Libertad-PRC route, coming from Pasong Tamo Extension shall turn left at J.P. Rizal then left to Pasong Tirad towards their destination.

Motorists are advised to take alternative routes and avoid the staging areas to avoid delay. PSD (MAPSA) traffic personnel will be deployed during the event to assist motorists and manage traffic in the affected areas. For assistance, the PSD hotlines are 8193270/71 and 8437294. 

Meanwhile, Circuit Makati will be allotting 350 parking slots to accommodate participants and revelers coming with their own vehicles. 

This year’s 29th Caracol Festival is expected to draw a huge crowd of spectators with its main attraction – the dance competition featuring young performers dressed in stunning nature-inspired costumes as they dance to vibrant music.

Three groups formed by students from Comembo, Nemesio Yabut and La Paz elementary schools will compete in the Elementary category, portraying marine life with ballroom dancing movements. In the high school category, students from San Isidro, Benigno Aquino and Gen. Pio del Pilar high schools will dance to retro or pop music dressed as endangered species, except aquatic plants and animals.

Four more groups from the barangays will compete in the youth category, dancing to either ballet or waltz dressed as flowers and insects.

In all categories, winners will receive cash prizes and trophy, as follows: P75,000, first prize; P62,500, second prize; and P50,000, 3rd prize. 

The overall champion will get an additional P75,000. Cash prizes will also be given to the winners of special awards: P25,000 for the "Most Original in Costume" and P25,000 for the "Best in Choreography."