By Rene Acosta & Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
WHEN the 21 leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) group gather in Manila next week, the government’s security measures will be tested.
Indeed, in a country that is plagued by terrorism, other high-profile crimes and even too much activism, security is foremost during the gathering. In fact, one can even declare that the success of the meeting rests upon the effectiveness of the security blanket thrown around the dignitaries.
The importance of security cannot be overemphasized, with no less than the National Police chief, Director General Ricardo Marquez, acting as the national task force commander on security, to ensure that he is on top of every detail despite overseeing the country’s overall peace and order situation.
For the National Police spokesman, Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor, next week’s activities would be the culmination of 12 months of strategizing, readjustments and even continued practice in the security measures to be implemented using at least 30,000 people, including policemen and soldiers, from at least 20 agencies.
“Director General Marquez wants zero incident,” Mayor declared.
He said the successive meetings of the Apec threw the government into its biggest security work in 20 years when it hosted similar meetings in 1996, the year that the Apec summit was held in the Philippines.
The final gathering, which is the Economic Leaders’ Meeting, will be held on November 18 and 19, while the penultimate activity, which is the Ministerial Meeting that will be held for two days ahead of the last meeting, will close the country’s yearlong hosting of the Apec meetings.
Twenty-one heads of economies, including US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin, are expected to attend the Economic Leaders’ Meeting.
Task groups
MAYOR said that, in order to grapple with the huge task of ensuring the security of the delegates, the government has organized several task groups that will cover every aspect of security—emergency preparedness, peace and order, security, diplomatic, delegates, hotel billet—and measures in case of calamities and disasters, among others.
“It even included fire,” he said.
Mayor said that when Pope Francis visited the country, they secured only one dignitary, but in the Apec summit, they have to secure 21 heads of economies and an additional 200 dignitaries.
In all of the hotels where the delegates would be billeted, the government has drawn a security package where security teams were organized to man traffic, do hotel security, provide dignitary security, perform quick response, crowd control, emergency response, search and rescue, parking and even tactical operations.
“Everything is covered,” Mayor said.
“We do dry runs, tabletop exercise and simulations. We have critiques in every event, so that we can adjust or improve if it is needed. The National Police chief himself supervises all of these things,” he added.
Traffic, enclosures
IN order to ensure foolproof security for the delegates and even for the twin meetings, the government has decided to close both northbound and southbound lanes of Roxas Boulevard to traffic from November 16 to 20.
Also, all roads around the Mall of Asia will be closed to traffic during the same period.
The government said in “areas where roads are not closed, traffic will be stopped whenever delegates will pass and resumed once the delegates have gone through.”
Likewise, only Apec vehicles are allowed to use the innermost lanes of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue during the five-day period.
“Truck ban will be implemented along Roxas Boulevard during the said period,” the government also said.
A no-fly zone will also be observed in all terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on November 17, 19 and 20.
On the other hand, waters near the Apec venues, such as the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Philippine International Convention Center, will be “off-limits” to vessels, affecting Manila Bay.
Mayor said that even cellular telephone signals may be occasionally interrupted.
“We are advising that in case [it happens], we should be ready,” he said.
“In this particular event, please expect inconvenience,” he added, noting it irregularly happens, and it is even for the good of the country.
Rallies and protests
ALTHOUGH the Department of the Interior and Local Government has already issued reminders about the law on the “no permit, no rally,” the police are still expecting that some groups will stage rallies in exercise of the freedom of expression.
But Mayor said mass actions should be conducted within the bounds of law.
“We recognize freedom of expression, provided it should not prejudice the rights of others,” he said.
“We appeal to the public, to the rallyists, to cooperate with the government because this only happens in 20 years,” Mayor added.
Still, the police would exercise maximum tolerance in dealing with groups.
“There should be no violence,” Mayor said.
“With the cooperation of the public, the burden of the government will be lessened,” he added.
MMDA preparations
CHAIRMAN Emerson Carlos of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that, since last week, the agency has been conducting simulations on traffic scenarios and conditions of routes to be used by the heads of state attending the Apec.
Carlos said all is set for the traffic, communications and emergency preparedness for the Apec leaders’ meeting, and that around 2,500 MMDA personnel will be assigned mainly along Edsa and Roxas Boulevard, as well as around the airport terminals.
As part of security and traffic preparations, the construction of major infrastructure projects will be stopped two days before the summit. These are Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway project, Skyway extension and Ayala Bridge.
To make sure that Apec delegates will not get stuck in Metro Manila’s traffic, he said, some roads will be partly or fully closed for non-Apec vehicles.
He added that a stop-and-go scheme will be implemented along portions of Edsa, Roxas Boulevard, Skyway and South Luzon Expressway.
Under this scheme, all traffic will be stopped whenever Apec vehicles are passing through.
Carlos said the agency’s personnel have already placed thousands of plastic barriers and cones along the stretch of Edsa and Roxas Boulevard in preparation for the event.
“Now, with the help of the Apec National Organizing Committee and Committee on Peace and Order and Emergency Preparedness, of which the MMDA and the Highway Patrol Group are members, we are ready for the Apec [summit],” Carlos declared.
Carlos said he is constantly communicating with Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras and the HPG commander, Chief Supt. Arnold Gunnacao, regarding Apec preparations.
Nonworking days
ALTHOUGH Malacañang has declared the Apec duration as nonworking days, Carlos said there are still some employees of companies, especially business-process outsourcing firms, who continue to report for work.
“Traffic will still be a problem… because private sector is still there [they have not declared holidays],” he said.
During the Apec summit, the two inner lanes of Edsa, stretching from Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City all the way to Mall of Asia in Pasay City, will be exclusive for the use of Apec delegates.
For his part, Almendras renewed his appeal to the public for understanding for some inconvenience during the Apec summit.
“They [Apec delegates] have their own protocols…they are used to a certain amount of security and leniency and flexibility. Thereby, that protocol is something we have to give to them when they come here…. I have been saying to media in all of my interviews, our Apec lane is to be used by delegates along Edsa but when a very important person is passing through, there will be absolute closures,” he said.
“I am appealing to all the motorists, all the people. We are hosting a very big event. So many important people that we need to make sure are going to be safe and can move around normally in a way they are able to move. So we really like to appeal, if you don’t really have to do anything absolutely urgent in these areas, then better not to…although some streets will be opened, but if there’s a movement then we will close it,” Almendras said.
Such total road closures will last at least 30 minutes, he added.
Road closure
THE Manila District Traffic Enforcement Unit-Manila Traffic Parking Bureau said road closure will be implemented from 12:01 a.m. on November 16 to 12 midnight of November 20 in the following areas:
• Stretch of Roxas Boulevard north and southbound lane from Katigbak Drive to Pablo Ocampo Street;
• Stretch of Roxas Boulevard service road from Santa Monica Street to P. Ocampo;
• Stretch of Quirino Avenue, from Roxas Boulevard to Adriatico Street;
• Stretch of Century Park Street from Adriatico to Mabini Street;
• Stretch of Mabini from P. Ocampo to Quirino;
• Southbound lane of Adriatico from Quirino to Century Park;
• Stretch of P. Ocampo from Adriatico to Roxas Boulevard;
• Stretch of Marcelo H. del Pilar Street from Santa Monica to Malvar Street;
• Stretch of Pedro Gil Street, from Roxas Boulevard to Mabini.
Rerouting
ALL vehicles coming from the northern part of Manila Pier zone intending to utilize the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard shall turn left to P. Burgos Street, right to Maria Orosa Street or Taft Avenue to point of destination.
• All vehicles coming from the southern part of Manila intending to utilize the northbound lane of Roxas Boulevard shall turn right to Buendia Avenue, turn left to Taft Avenue to point of destination.
• All vehicles utilizing P. Ocampo coming from Taft shall turn right to Adriatico, turn right to Leveriza Street to Quirino Avenue to point of destination.
• All vehicles traveling westbound lane of Quirino Avenue coming from Osmeña Highway (Plaza Dilao) area going to Roxas Boulevard shall turn right or left to Taft Avenue to point of destination;
• All vehicles coming from del Pilar Street intending to utilize Roxas Boulevard shall turn left to Quirino Avenue going to Taft Avenue to their point of destination.
Totally no parking on Roxas Boulevard service road from Teodoro M. Kalaw to President Quirino will be implemented.
MMDA app and bikes for Apec
THE MMDA will use new high-performance motorcycles for the security and traffic management personnel who will be deployed during the summit.
The recently purchased 10 new Suzuki Bandit 750 motorcycles will be used by high-ranking officials who will participate in Apec, as well as part of complying with international conventions on the protection of visiting heads of state.
The new 10-bike fleet will be joined by two previously acquired Ducati Monster 795s, which the MMDA first used during the visit of Pope Francis in January.
The Ducati bikes cost around P500,000 each, while the Suzukis were procured by the MMDA at a slightly lower price.
From the airport, the Apec convoys would be using Skyway where only motorbikes with 400cc engines or higher are allowed, hence the MMDA’s old fleet of motorcycles and scooters would simply not do.
Meanwhile, Carlos said some 60 traffic constables have already undergone training in using an app for emergency response and roadside assistance to ensure the smooth flow of traffic during the event.
He said that the tablets, donated by Pure Force—a private company providing emergency response and rescue solutions who developed the Pure Force Citizens App—will also be used by emergency and traffic personnel of the agency for direct reporting in their Command Center.
“It would be easy for us to respond immediately, and all the information sent to us will be more accurate because it is accompanied with pictures as well,” Carlos said.
He said 200 more tablets are expected to be given to the agency. The tablets were turned over earlier by Jomerito Soliman, Pure Force president and chief executive officer.
Number coding not lifted
ALTHOUGH Malacañang declared November 18 and 19 as special nonworking holidays, the number-coding scheme will still be implemented during the four-day summit.
Carlos said that the “number-coding” scheme will still take effect from November 16 to 20 to decongest the metropolis.
Because of this, Carlos appealed to motorists to cooperate for the successful holding of the Apec summit.
The MMDA, Carlos said, is expecting heavy traffic near bus terminals in the metropolis on November 13, as people are expected to go to provinces ahead of the Apec summit.
Carlos said many people will start going to provinces as early as November 13 for a long vacation.
Malacañang declared November 18 and 19 as special nonworking holidays.
It also announced that there will be no work in government offices from November 17 to 20, as the country hosts the Apec meet.
Exempted from the suspension are government agencies involved in basic services, security and safety, health and emergency preparedness and Apec-related activities.
There will also be no classes in all levels in Metro Manila from November 17 to 20.
He said more people are expected to take the long Apec holidays as an opportunity to go to the provinces.
Because of this, Carlos warned that traffic might be heavy in areas near bus terminals and airports.
He also said there might be traffic jams in some malls in Metro Manila since November 13 is also a payday.
Image credits: Alysa Salen, AP/Aaron Favila, AP/Bullit Marquez
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