Huli ka!

The PNP will be celebrating their 18th Anniversary on Monday, January 26, 2009, so expect traffic to be heavy around that area in the morning. In fact, they'll be closing the area around Camp Crame's Santolan gate between 7am and 9am while they conduct flagraising and wreathlaying ceremonies. So all motorists are advised to avoid area during that time or take alternative routes.

Here's a link to an article on Inquirer.net regarding rerouting info for this Sunday's Caracol festival, which will be celebrated with a parade starting at 3pm of Sunday, January 18, 2009.. Note that the major roads to be affected by the parade will be closed off starting 6pm on Saturday.

Here's an article listing alternate routes in Manila during the Feast of the Black Nazarene later today.

In preparation for the big New Year countdown party to be held on Ayala Ave./Makati Ave., here's a confusing article from ABS-CBN News regarding the rerouting in Makati starting on what we assume is December 31 (as the article made no mention of the date).

Bottom line? Avoid the following roads:
- Ayala Ave. from EDSA until Salcedo St.
- Makati Ave. from Arnaiz Ave. (formerly Pasay Rd.) until Paseo de Roxas

You might want to avoid de la Rosa St. and Paseo de Roxas as well, as they plan to make those into a parking lot.

Happy New Year!

Here's a quick rundown of links regarding the rerouting in Makati's CBD for the interfaith, anti-Charter Change rally to be held tomorrow, December 12, 2008, from noon to 10pm:
1. Advisory from Makati's Department of Public Safety
2. Article from Inquirer.net

Bottom line here is Ayala Avenue will be closed off for most of the day, so expect traffic to affect all the major thoroughfares leading to it. Unless you plan to join the rally, we suggest you just avoid the area completely.

Found these articles on Inquirer.net:

- Rerouting info in QC for All Saints' Day
- Rerouting info in Pasay City for the Second Global Forum on Migration and Development

Take heed and avoid the traffic!

Rerouting at Ayala Center
Due to a planned construction of an access ramp to Glorietta V, Hotel Drive, the road right in front of Hotel Intercontinental will be reduced to a single lane. Construction will begin on January 21 and is expected to end by the end of of April.

Check out the article for more information on the rerouting.

Binay 2010 commemorative plates not valid in Makati
Mayor Jejomar Binay has announced that the Binay 2010 commemorative plates will not be recognized in Makati City. According to him, he is not in any way connected, nor given consent, to the group that is releasing these plates. He also stressed that the city's traffic code does not recognize ANY commemorative plate and may earn the driver a fine of P2,000.00 and confiscation of the said plate.

Hehehe. Classic guerrilla marketing technique.

MMDA's u-turn slots and concrete barriers make driving instructors' jobs more difficult
Driving instructors are having a difficult time teaching their students how to deal with the u-turn slots and concrete barriers that the MMDA has been setting up all over the metro, since the LTO does not mention these on their standard driver's manual.

Hay naku. How difficult can it be? First, ALWAYS follow the lane lines. Second, ALWAYS stay on the outermost lane (barring the yellow lanes) and transfer to the next innermost lane only if overtaking. Third, ease into the appropriate lane around 200-300 meters when approaching the u-turn, intersection, turn-off, ramp, exit, access road, barriers, whatever that they will be taking (or avoiding, as the case may be). Third, ALWAYS use your signal light when changing lanes. And use it BEFORE you actually change lanes and not during. Fourth, stay on the leftmost lane if turning left on the next intersection, or the rightmost lane if turning right. Fifth, if traffic is merging from two lanes to one, always follow the alternating rule. Sixth, be courteous to other drivers and avoid inconveniencing others. Last, the pedestrian always has right of way, even if they are jaywalking.

Just imagine how much better driving will be if all drivers follow these simple rules.

Quiapo traffic rerouted due to Black Nazarene
With the Feast of the Black Nazarene being celebrated today, traffic in Quiapo has been rerouted. Check the article for details on the rerouting scheme.

MMDA's pink line parking scheme
The MMDA has begun pilot testing their new pink line parking scheme on EDSA. The line is supposed to clearly delineate where the road ends and the sidewalk begins, and is targeted to curb illegal parking on major roads.

Kaya dapat walang tatawid sa pink line. Ang muhuling tumawid, bading!

MMDA likes motorcycles
The MMDA is NOT in favor of banning motorcycles from major roads. However, this doesn't mean that they will be providing exclusive lanes for them.

Considering that the majority of their enforcers get around on bikes, it'll be really stupid of them to support the proposed bill to ban them. Dapat talaga, hulihin na lang nila ang dapat hulihin para mabawasan ang mga aksidente.

One percentage point reduction in oil tariff planned
A one percentage point reduction in oil tariff has been announced by GMA today, in an effort to cushion the impact rising world oil prices on the local economy. Also, she has asked the oil companies to use the savings from the tax cut to bring down prices of diesel, instead of applying it across the board to all fuel products.

Another article also mentioned that despite the tariff cut, pump prices are still expected to rise on January 15.

Considering that our pump prices are among the highest in the region, I'm pretty sure there are a lot of other things that they can do bring prices down.

Checkpoints for the New Year
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has announced that it will be setting up checkpoints throughout the metro starting 6pm today until New Year's eve, to guard against loose firearms and prohibited firecrackers. Unfortunately, there are no listings of where these checkpoints will be setup.

Parts Ayala and Makati Avenues to be closed
Starting 10pm tonight, parts of Ayala and Makati Avenues will be closed in preparation for the New Year's party to be held there on Monday. Make sure that you read the article 'cos they included some rerouting information for both private and public vehicles.

Oplan Isnabero a success
Around 1,440 taxi operators and drivers have been summoned by both the LTFRB and the LTO in response to complaints received under the Oplan Isnabero program. Again, instead of just concentrating on the holiday season, they should do this throughout the year.