Palace, Metro brace for traffic jams - Manila Standard Today

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III will observe this year’s anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution in Malacañang instead of Edsa to avoid causing more traffic as the construction of Stage 3 of the Skyway project starts today.

“For the interest of the people and in order to avoid additional traffic problems in Edsa, the Malacañang Palace grounds will be the center of the celebration on February 25,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Sonny Coloma said.

He appealed to the public for understanding.

“We call on our people to share in the burden of sacrifice and bear with short-term inconvenience so we can build better roads that will ensure faster travel and more productive living in our highly congested National Capital Region,” Coloma said.

The elevated six-lane, 14.8-kilometer Stage 3 of the Skyway will connect the North Luzon Expressway and the South Luzon Expressway by 2016. at a cost of P26 billion.

Citra Central Expressway Corp., the company that will build the project, says an advance work site will be set up today on the center island of Osmeña Highway from Buendia in Makati to Quirino Avenue in Manila.

Two southbound inner lanes between F. Torrest Street and Arellano Avenue will be closed, but the three northbound lanes will remain passable.

The motorists wishing to avoid the highway may take the alternative routes provided by the government. Manila-bound motorists using the Skyway-SLEX exit may exit at Magallanes, Don Bosco or Amorsolo.

When Aquino attended the launching of Stage 3 in January, he acknowledged that the project will result in a barrage of criticisms because of the expected traffic jams.

“Because of the initial traffic that this project will cause, I can imagine our critics are already waiting to oppose this project,” Aquino said.

For this year’s People Power commemoration, Coloma said, the traditional “salubungan” of the key players during the peaceful revolt in 1986 would also be held at the Palace.

He said there will be a “pulong-bayan” where the President will discuss issues with representatives from various sectors.

“We want to listen to the sentiments of the various sectors of society,” Coloma said.

“There is no list yet of individuals or organizations who will attend and we will be announcing this in the coming days.”

Coloma said the Aquino administration also wanted to shift the focus of the celebration from the heroism of those who participated in the 1986 revolution to the bayahanihan spirit of the Filipinos in times of calamity.

“We want to highlight the efforts of people in improving their lives, teamwork and concern for one another in times of need,” Coloma said.

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