Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor (first from right), who is running for Quezon City mayor, accompanies presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos (first from left) and his running mate Sara Duterte during the tandem鈥檚 caravan in Quezon City. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) general manager Don Artes on Saturday urged organizers of the Marcos-Duterte caravan to follow the guidelines and to commit to self-regulation in launching activities.
This development came after supporters of Ferdinand 鈥淏ongbong鈥� Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, running for president and vice president, respectively, will hold another caravan on December 12 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
鈥溾�榊un lang po ine-emphasize namin sa organizers na unang-una sundin po natin 鈥榶ung ating mga restrictions or guidelines na napagkasunduan. Unang-una, walang programa sa kalsada, wala pong unnecessary stoppage po dapat, at i-maintain 鈥榶ung designated lane,鈥� Artes said in a press conference.
(What we are emphasizing to organizers is to comply with our restrictions or guidelines agreed upon. First, no programs on the roads, no unnecessary stoppage, and drive along the designated lanes.)
鈥淚to po ay hindi naman namin kayang ipatupad sa lahat dahil limited din naman po 鈥榶ung number ng tao ng MMDA, kapulisan, at ng mga LGUs (local government units). So talagang magre-rely tayo doon sa self-regulation and self-policing na inyong nabanggit at ito naman po, bilang kayo ang organizer. Ang accountability po ng kung anong magiging resulta nitong partikular na activity na ito ay nasa inyo,鈥� he added.
(We cannot implement all these because we have a limited number of personnel in the MMDA, police, and LGUs. So, we rely on self-regulation and self-policing that you mentioned. The accountability of the activity鈥檚 result is on you.)
Operations/ground commander of BBM-Sara 2.0 Mega Christmas Caravan General Romeo Poquiz said that they have learned their lesson when their caravan in Quezon City contributed to traffic.
鈥淰ery clear naman po 鈥榶ung permit na binigay sa 鈥榤in ng MMDA. We鈥檙e very confident na masusunod 鈥榶ung mga 鈥榶un dahil unang-una, we learned our lessons from 鈥榶ung nangyari diyan sa Quezon City, napanood natin 鈥榶un, nagkabuhol-buhol 鈥榶ung traffic, maraming na-perwisyo,鈥� Poquiz said.
(MMDA鈥檚 permit is clear. We鈥檙e confident that we can comply because we learned our lessons from what happened in Quezon City wherein it contributed to the traffic, many suffered.)
The caravan will have two groups. One will start from the Para帽aque Integrated Terminal Exchange and the other group will kick off in Kalaw Avenue. The groups will converge in the Quezon Memorial Circle.
According to Artes, their issued permit is for the major thoroughfares under MMDA鈥檚 jurisdiction. Other roads that are under the LGUs shall be coordinated with the concerned LGU.
Poquiz, meanwhile, shared that currently, they have only received a permit from the Pasay City government.
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