LTO to Cebu Commuters: Keep Up with Traffic Advisories for APEC Meetings

(PIA-7/Cebu PIO) — Keep yourself updated on the schedules and advisories related to Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2015 meetings in Cebu.

This is one tip given by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) here to lessen the inconvenience of the riding public from traffic congestion as a result of the 80 APEC meetings set to be hosted in Cebu from August to October this year.

Cebuanos can also stay at home or go out of Metro Cebu during holidays and weekends, according to LTO Director Arnel Tancinco.

LTO in Central Visayas is coordinating with traffic enforcement agencies in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu to come up with a comprehensive traffic plan for the duration of the meetings.

Tancinco said the traffic scheme will involve rerouting vehicles, implementing one-way routes on some streets, and closing roads at certain periods of the day.

“Keep up-to-date with traffic announcements as we can mostly determine ahead of time when to close the roads to clear the way for APEC delegates,” he added.

There are five areas identified as meeting venues for APEC 2015, including Radisson Blu, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, Cebu City Marriott Hotel, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, and Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa.

The Cebu Provincial Government releases regular advisories on APEC developments at www.cebu.gov.ph, its official FB page at facebook.com/cebugovph, and on Twitter @cebugovph.

Many of the 3,200 delegates expected to be here in Cebu for the Third Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM 3) and related sessions from August 20 to September 6, 2015 will be moving between their hotels and meeting venues with VIP guests expected to have vehicle escorts.

Ministerial meetings on finance, structural reforms, transportation and energy are spread out from September 7 to October 14 and will have around 90 to 700 participants.

In cases when closures and other changes cannot be announced beforehand, Tancinco said the best thing commuters and motorists can do is to be patient and follow traffic rules.

“This (APEC) is a good thing for Cebu. It gives us a chance to showcase the province,” he pointed out.

Former Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president and local organizing committee consultant Lito Maderazo earlier said the meetings give Cebu the “golden opportunity” to showcase itself as an investment and tourism destination. (rmn/PIA7-Cebu/Cebu PIO)