BOCAUE, Bulacan, Philippines – Brace for heavy traffic today along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), the Tollways Management Corp. (TMC) advised the public yesterday.
Thousands of Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) members are expected to flock to the Philippine Arena here to attend an evangelical mission, Francisco Dagohoy, TMC media relations officer, told The STAR.
INC executive minister Eduardo Manalo will lead the evangelical mission, said to be the largest in the history of the religious group.
Dagohoy said the event is scheduled at 7 p.m. but the NLEX management expects traffic to be snarled as early as 6 a.m.
A one-lane counter flow on the southbound portion of NLEX from Bocaue to Marilao has been set up to ease the flow of northbound traffic near the Philippine Arena area, he said.
He said additional traffic management personnel along with medical teams and ambulances would be deployed in the area to respond to any eventuality.
INC spokesman Edwil Zabala said they have prepared tents in case the attendees would be more than the 55,000 that can be accomodated in the arena.
Zabala said the event is part of the regular gathering of the church, during which members and non-members can listen to the teachings of the Bible.
Senior Superintendent Ferdinand Divina, Bulacan police director, said they have coordinated with INC Maligaya Corp., which operates the arena, to manage the flow of traffic in the area.
– With Robertzon Ramirez