by Isabel
It’s that time of year again.
Tomorrow, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivers her State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the opening of the 14th Congress.
For us living just a stone’s throw away from the Batasang Pambansa Complex, that means using alternate routes as Commonwealth Avenue is expected to be closed to vehicular traffic.
According to this article on ABS-CBN Interactive, rallyists will converge in front of the St. Peter’s Church along Commonwealth and hold programs in the Ever Gotesco area while the SONA is ongoing.
As reported, the IBP Road leading to the Batasan complex will be closed by noon, or “when the number of rallyists starts to build up.” No mention was made of the exact time Commonwealth Avenue will be inaccessible to cars.
Unless you’ve just moved to our area, this situationer is nothing new. But just so we are all aware, another report pegs the number of protesters from the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) at 10,000 to 15,000. Pro-GMA rallyists, estimated at 15,000, are also expected to converge in the area tomorrow.
Some 9,000 policemen will be deployed in roads leading to the Batasang Pambansa complex. Traffic enforcers and barangay officials from the affected areas will assist in traffic management.
Despite the SONA, tomorrow is not a holiday. The coding scheme will still be in effect, according to the MMDA.
To all motorists and commuters, take the necessary precautions to avoid the traffic tomorrow!
