MANILA – The Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT) urged local government units (LGUs) to clear roads leading to cemeteries, of illegally parked vehicles and other obstructions to improve the traffic condition for this year’s observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
“Kailangan tayo sa gobyerno ay gumawa ng paraan upang maibsan ang mabigat na daloy ng trapiko. Taun-taon na lang ‘yan nararanasan ng mga Pilipino (The government must implement measures to ease heavy traffic, which is being experienced yearly by Filipinos). In this moment of remembrance, let’s make mobility easy for people. National agencies can do its part but the local government holds more accountability as they are more familiar with the situation in their specific areas of responsibility,” Transportation Undersecretary and I-ACT chief Tim Orbos said in a statement late Monday.
“Undas is all about people, not motorists, flocking to cemeteries to be with their departed loved ones. Therefore, our actions should be directed in bringing utmost safety and comfort to them,” he added.
Orbos also encouraged motorists to carpool, an efficient way of transporting more people using less vehicles.
The council said various efforts have begun to be put in place a month before “Undas”.
The Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Highway Patrol Group (HPG) has been tasked to secure the roads while coordination meetings have been set with several sectors of the Liga ng mga Barangay ng Pilipinas (LNB) to discuss issues concerning their localities.
The LNB will also provide assistance to people who will troop to the cemeteries.
Two teams of the I-ACT will manage the traffic flow to major cemeteries in Metro Manila.
The I-ACT is composed of the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, PNP-HPG, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the traffic divisions of LGUs, and the Liga ng mga Barangay ng Pilipinas.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the National Telecommunications Commission are also active participants of I-ACT. (Aerol John Pateña/PNA)
