MMDA exec apologizes for traffic from Iglesia ni Cristo gathering

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority apologized to motorists and commuters stuck in traffic due to the Grand Evangelical Mission of the Iglesia ni Cristo in Manila Tuesday evening.

 

MMDA traffic discipline unit head Yves Gonzalez tweeted his apologies, saying he and his men could only do so much after working 18 hours straight.

 

"To everyone who got stuck in terrible traffic today, for what it's worth, I'm sorry. We did our best; our constables worked 18 hours straight," Gonzalez said on his Twitter account.

 

Gonzalez had personally supervised traffic management at the corner of Roxas Boulevard and the northbound part of Pedro Gil Street Tuesday night.

 

A report on dzBB radio early Wednesday quoted the Philippine National Police as saying at least 600,000 attended Tuesday's INC gathering.

 

But the event caused traffic jams in several parts of Metro Manila, even hours after it ended.

 

Due to the high volume of passengers, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) extended the operations of its LRT Lines 1 and 2.

 

"LRT1 extending operations for the benefit of commuters affected by the traffic jams. Last train from Roosevelt and Baclaran (leaves at) 10:30 p.m.," LRTA spokesman Hernando Cabrera said on his Twitter account Tuesday night.

 

Cabrera said the LRT-2's operation was also extended up to 11 p.m. Tuesday.

 

But Cabrera said the LRTA could not afford to extend LRT operating hours further as they need time for the trains' maintenance.

 

"Sorry po, we cannot extend LRT1 operations until midnight kasi po mawawalan po kami time for the daily maintenance activities which we need," he said.

 

Earlier, radio dzBB's Manny Vargas said the INC activity ended peacefully but caused a massive traffic jam in parts of Manila that lasted past 8 p.m.

 

This was despite the INC having its own traffic aides and civic radio operators to police their own ranks. –KG, GMA News