Brace for traffic as Asean convoy rehearsals held Sunday from Clark to Manila

Sunday won’t be a fun day on Metro Manila roads, as no less than the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has warned the public of “possible heavier traffic disruptions” due to a practice run of traffic and security convoy operations for the Asean summit to be held in Pampanga and Metro Manila in November.

In a statement, the DILG, which leads the Committee on Security, Peace and Order, Emergency Preparedness and Response for the summit, quoted Technical Working Group on Traffic Management Chairman Emmanuel V. Miro as saying that the southbound lanes of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, the North Luzon Expressway, Edsa, and several areas in Makati, Taguig, Pasay and Manila will be affected by the dry-run.

The rehearsal is the third for the 31st Asean Summit to be held at the Clark Freeport Zone. It’s part of security operations for the summit’s international delegates as they travel between Pampanga province and the nation’s capital.

Sunday’s convoy rehearsals will cover three scenarios, all coming from the Clark International Airport in Pampanga: one going to the Manila Hotel in Manila, the second to the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig, and the third to the The Peninsula Manila in Makati.

The first convoy is expected to affect traffic on the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) Skyway, Buendia Extension, J. W. Diokno Boulevard, and Roxas Boulevard; the second convoy is expected to affect McKinley Street, and from 5th to 30th Streets in Taguig; and the third convoy is expected ot affect Ayala Avenue and Makati Avenue in Makati.

From the hotels, the convoys will then simulate the billet-to-venue scenario of heading to the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila, which is expected to affect Jalandoni Street, Arnaiz Street, and V. Sotto Street in Pasay.

Miro urged motorists to take alternate routes and refrain from passing through the affected roads during the rehearsals.

He appealed for the public’s patience and understanding “as we continue to enhance and upscale the security preparations amidst the very huge challenge of ensuring the safety of our Asean delegates during the actual event.”

During the second convoy dry run on Oct. 8, full traffic stop was observed as the convoy passed through the southbound lanes of Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and EDSA, going from the Clark Airport to Conrad Manila in Pasay city. The convoy took an hour.

Two more dry runs are set on Oct. 22 and 29 to test other scenarios, the DILG said.

Meanwhile, in an interview with the media on Friday, police Highway Patrol Group spokesperson Senior Insp. Jem Dellantes said they would deploy around 500 personnel to serve as security convoy for 28 heads of state and their spouses during the Asean summit. The security convoy will consist of motorcycle riders and patrol cars. /atm