ASEAN convoys may stop traffic for 10 to 25 minutes —MMDA

Motorists may have to wait for 10 to 25 minutes to allow convoys for the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and Related Meetings to pass through designated sites.

In an interview on Unang Balita on Monday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) spokesperson Celine Pialago said Clark, SCTEX, NLEX, and the whole stretch of EDSA will be affected by the protocols.

"Stop and go approach na po ito. Ibig sabihin, everytime na may dadaan na convoy kailangan na hong tumigil 'yung buong stretch na dadaanan nito. Tatagal ito ng 10 minutes to 25 minutes. Kung isang convoy ho 'yun, may kasabay pa, madadagdagan po ng ilang mga minuto," Pialago explained.

Additional areas that will be affected by the protocol include Monumento, Pasay, 5th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, and in earlier announcements, Roxas Boulevard, Ayala, Makati Avenue, Pasay, Lawton, to Makati.

Pialago on Friday said that these interruptions are different from the scheduled traffic lockdowns of certain areas for the summit.

Additional police and traffic enforcers will be deployed to avoid inconveniences caused by civilians joining the convoy, stalled vehicles, or pedestrians unloading everywhere, as seen during the dry run conducted on October 29.

"Lahat ho ng areas na nakita nating may problema, dodoblehin natin 'yung deployment. Patuloy ho 'yung instruction doon sa mga kawani natin sa PNP, MMDA," Pialago said.

"Once ho may stalled vehicle, kailangan ho nilang tayuan ito. Ibig sabihin ho, 'yung stalled vehicle, tatayuan ho ng enforcer para hindi ho umalis 'yung stalled vehicle or isang sasakyan na magbababa, nagsasakay ng pasahero, o 'yung sasakyan ho na sumasabay sa convoy," she added. —Rie Takumi/KG, GMA News