By John Rey Saavedra and Luel Galarpe/Philippine News Agency
CEBU CITY — The Police Regional Office (PRO)-Region 7 (Central Visayas) on Monday said it has placed the entire province of Cebu under the red alert status for the start of the National Youth Day 2019.
Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, PRO-7 regional director, said the police heightened security preparations, as the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Cebu is expecting 12,000 pilgrims from different parts of the country to participate in the said event.
He said they intensified intelligence and monitoring along with other police units in Central Visayas and Mindanao, following the bombing incidents in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday that killed some 290 people.
“We are upping our preparations and monitoring and yet we could assure you unless otherwise there is a compelling reason, the activity will continue,” he said during the security briefing for the celebration held at the Archbishop’s Residence here.
The senior police official in Central Visayas, however, clarified that there would be no telecommunications signal shutdown on the first day, when the event’s organizer from the Archdiocese of Cebu have prepared three important events — opening ceremony at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC), the solemn foot procession, and the opening Mass at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño — on April 24.
“Actually, we will not recommend it (signal shutdown). This is supposed to be for the youth,” Sinas said, adding that prompting that shutdown of cellphone signal “will backfire” as the event “should be enjoyed by all the people.”
He said parents and relatives of the youths, who registered to join in the six-day event in Cebu, would want “to know how their sons and daughters are doing here.”
Sinas added, however, that if there is a compelling reason, he will recommend telecommunications signal shutdown.
Cebu Archbishop Jose S. Palma thanked the police and military for their security plans for the duration of the religious event of the youth.
“With what is happening in many parts of the world, we know that security is a very important aspect. I know that deep in our hearts, we long for peace,” Palma said, hoping that “primacy of peace in our homes, mosques, marketplaces, and other places” would reign.
The Cebu prelate urged the pilgrims and devotees, who are attending the National Youth Day, to “trust the men and women in uniform”, and cooperate with the security details in different event sites by reporting any suspicious elements.
Col. Noel Baluyan, commander of the Task Force Cebu, said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is committed to augmenting soldiers to ensure the security of the pilgrims.
“We have our security plan crafted way before and we are now ready to implement and execute them with all other stakeholders and with all other members of the community, in order to make the celebration successful, peaceful, enjoyable, and meaningful,” he said.
Col. Wilbert Parilla, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) deputy chief for operations, reminded the pilgrims and devotees to follow the specific ingress and egress in the main celebration sites at the CCSC and the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) Pavilion, and in different festival sites.
Parilla said in a radio interview that devotees are discouraged from bringing huge bags.
At the security briefing, Sinas showed to media different paraphernalia allowed at the celebration sites such as the official bag, t-shirt, and identification cards, other than those are not officially recognized.
Meanwhile, the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) will implement traffic rerouting in some parts of the city on Wednesday during the opening procession of the event.
Francisco Ouano, CCTO operations chief, said in a brief interview also on Monday that traffic in the downtown area will be rerouted since some streets will be closed for the procession starting 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Ouano said the procession will start at the Cebu City Sports Center and end at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño. At least 100 traffic enforcers will be deployed in the affected areas to assist motorists.
As the procession will be held during the peak hours, Ouano said traffic in the downtown area is expected to be heavy.
He asked the cooperation of the riding public and urged them to read the traffic advisories and traffic signs posted on the streets for guidance.
“We are advising people who do not have any business downtown to avoid the affected areas as much as possible to minimize traffic congestion,” Ouano said in Cebuano.
Some thoroughfares in the city will also be closed on Saturday starting 2 p.m. for the Pilgrim Walk of the National Youth Day celebration, which culminates on Sunday, April 28.
Half of the four-lane Osmeña Boulevard from the Cebu Capitol to the Cebu City Sports Center will also be closed on Saturday.
Papal Nuncio Archbishop Gabriele Gaccia is expected to arrive on Saturday to join the event, which the Archdiocese of Cebu is hosting for the first time since the National Youth Day celebration was conceived in 1986.
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