Iglesia ni Cristo apologizes for traffic jam on Commonwealth Avenue

The Iglesia ni Cristo apologized on Tuesday for the traffic jam caused by its medical and dental mission along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

"I can only apologize. We truly understand how a motorist, or even someone who is traveling, gets stuck in traffic. How they would feel especially with the heat," Iglesia ni Cristo spokesperson Edwil Zabala said.

Zabala said it is only a matter of perception for those calling the church inconsiderate for occupying the entire northbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue from Sandiganbayan to Litex Market.

The portion of the highway will remain closed until midnight.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority issued a traffic advisory for the event.

Zabala said they are hoping that the public will realize that the less unfortunate will benefit from the activity.

"Hopefully mabalanse ang inis nila sa amin noong kaligayahan na lang na nararamdaman ng mga kababayan natin na less fortunate na maseserbisyuhan natin," he said.

Instead of complaining, Zabala said the affected commuters and car owners should instead think that they are contributing to a good cause.

"Yun na lang yung tulong sa part ko na tiniis ko yung traffic, tiniis ko yung uhaw, tiniis ko na hindi agad ako nakarating sa pupuntahan ko. Yun yung bahagi ko doon. Sana ganoon na lang ang gawin nung mga nagrereklamo," Zabala said.

Zabala said that there are no available areas around the district that they could use as a venue for the medical mission.

Ultrasound, circumcision tents most visited

Dr. Sergie Santos III, board member of the Felix Y. Manalo Foundation (FYMF), said 252 volunteers including doctors, dentists, and medical personnel from the various Iglesia Ni Cristo districts in and outside Metro Manila attended the event.

List of free services offered by INC's medical and dental mission @gmanews pic.twitter.com/MXjReO4mko

— TJ Roxas (@teejroxas) May 17, 2016

Free ultrasound for pregnant women and circumcision were the most in demand services offered by group, according to Santos.

He said that as of 3 p.m., 128 women determined the gender of their babies through their ultrasound machines, while 78 men were circumcised.

Some of the scenes at the ultrasound and circumcision tents at the #IglesiaNiCristo mission pic.twitter.com/7xg6Z7OqMX

— TJ Roxas (@teejroxas) May 17, 2016

Aside from free medical and dental services, Santos said FYMF allotted 10,000 clothes and pairs of shoes equally divided in sizes and gender that will be distributed after its Bible exposition at 5 p.m.

Additional 60,000 “goodwill” bags containing rice, canned goods, and noodles also await the participants after the bible services. The good came from voluntary contributions of members.

Generally peaceful

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) deployed 485 personnel in the area and recorded no untoward incidents during the course of the medical mission.

“Overall asessement: peaceful naman, orderly naman. Sumusunod naman ang mga tao base sa napag-usapan,” Superintendent Ricardo Sales told GMA News.

Sales said the PNP estimated that more than 20,000 participants flocked to the mission as of 3:15 p.m.

He added that normal traffic flow on the stretch of Commonwealth Avenue from Sandiganbayan to Litex Market is expected by 12 midnight. —ALG/KBK, GMA News