In anticipation of heavy traffic with the upcoming 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders’ Summit come November this year, the Technical Working Group (TWG) on Traffic Management has set the pre-dry run on Sunday (Sept. 24) from Clark Airport in Pampanga to Balintawak, Caloocan City.
During the said pre-dry run, TWG action officers will have an initial assessment on how the designated primary and secondary routes will look like during the actual event on November 11-15, 2017.
Philippine National Police (PNP) C/Supt. Noel A. Baraceros, the ASEAN Security Task Force (ASTF) Operations Staff Officer says the Sunday morning pre-dry run will enable the TWG on Traffic Management to come up with the needed changes and adjustments as part of the very rigid preparations for the said international event to be attended by 24 world leaders.
“With just over one month to go, we are going full swing in our traffic management preparations and we have provided dedicated ASEAN lanes for the safety and security of the world leaders, just to ensure that they are not trapped in a heavy traffic situation,” says Baraceros.
The TWG is also mulling on the removal of billboards along EDSA and other primary and secondary routes after making prior and proper coordination with concerned advertisers and private entities.
Robinor Ignacio, Traffic Operation Manager of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) also briefed the TWG on NLEX toll entries and exits, distance between exits, SCTEX exit and Clark Airport, and estimated time of travel for the entire route.
Metro Manila Development Authority and Chairperson on TWG for Traffic Management Emmamuel V. Miro presented the updated traffic plan and lockdown of CCP Complex and SMX Convention Center.
He said the lockdown of these areas will just be for a certain time and date during scheduled events at SM Arena and not for the entire duration of the ASEAN Summit.
The TWG also tackled deployment plans of primary and alternate routes and matrix of needed personnel for the Task Group (TG) Central Luzon Secretariat and TG National Capital Region (NCR) Secretariat, along with the deployment plan and staging areas of the TG Central Luzon Sub-Task Group (STG) Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) and TG NCR STG EPR.
Traffic management plan, EPR deployment plan and integrated communication plan are part of the preparations being undertaken by the Committee on Security, Peace and Order, Emergency Preparedness and Response (CSPOEPR).
The CSPOEPR is composed of 21-member agencies headed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). ###
