500 MMDA personnel to guard Metro Filmfest Parade of Stars

MANILA, Philippines – More than 500 personnel from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will be deployed on Tuesday along Roxas Boulevard to monitor and manage traffic during the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Parade of Stars.

The southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard will be closed to all types of vehicles during the event, which will start at around 1 p.m. at the Aseana City along Macapagal Boulevard, then end at the Quirino Grandstand along Roxas Boulevard, according to MMDA Traffic Discipline Office head Cris Saruca.

“We will close the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard to give way to the event. Also, many fans and movie-goers are expected to watch the Parade of Stars along Roxas Boulevard,” Saruca said during the MMDA’s weekly radio program.

The Parade of Stars is an annual MMFF tradition that introduces the participating movies to the public through a motorcade of beautifully designed floats carrying the casts of the movie entries.

The traffic discipline office head said floats would be allowed to use some portions of the Roxas Boulevard for parade preparations early Tuesday morning. He said the program usually done at the Quirino Grandstand would be held at the grass park since preparations for Pope Francis’ visit in January at the grandstand have started.

The Roxas Boulevard will immediately be opened to vehicles once the parade is done and more than 500 personnel from the MMDA will make sure that this will not greatly affect the traffic in the area, according to Saruca.

“We will also be assisted by the local government units from Pasay, Parañaque and Manila during the event,” he said, adding there would be emergency and medical teams to be deployed during the event.

This year’s MMFF, according to executive director Noemi Ilagan, has eight official entries including historical drama “Bonifacio: ‘Ang Unang Pangulo,'” romance-comedy English Only Please, horror film Feng Shui 2, action-fantasy Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2, action film Magnum Muslim .357, comedy films My Big Bossing’s Adventures and Praybeyt Benjamin 2, and horror film Shake, Rattle & Roll XV.

Ilagan said the MMDA has been hoping to surpass the P1 billion overall gross set in 2013 for its eight official entries.

“We want to make more than P1 billion with the sales going to the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation Inc. (Mowelfund), Film Academy of the Philippines, Motion Picture Anti-Film Piracy Council, Optical Media Board and the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

All entries at the MMFF this year will be shown during the entire festival period which is from Dec. 25 until Jan. 7