MMDA: Heavy traffic in UP area Friday afternoon due to Lantern Parade

Motorists may want to steer clear of some roads near the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City starting Friday afternoon, due to the university's annual Lantern Parade. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority issued this advice Friday morning, saying traffic buildup may start as early as 3 p.m. "Advisory: Lantern Parade at UP Diliman today. Expect traffic buildup at UP area including C.P. Garcia from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m.," it said on its Twitter account. Held on the last day of classes before the Christmas break, the Lantern Parade is a yearly tradition where large lantern-floats make the round of the UP academic oval. Large crowds gather to watch the creations of each UP unit and college. Alternate routes The UP Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs similarly advised motorists to take other routes during the annual Lantern Parade. It announced the following routes to help ease traffic flow on the day of the parade - From 1 to 10 p.m., Shuster Street (between the new UPIS building [formerly Narra Residence Hall] and Vinzon’s Hall), Magsaysay Avenue and all portals on campus (C.P. Garcia Avenue, Jacinto Street, Magsaysay near the Asian Center and Ylanan Street) will be opened to traffic. - The UP Sticker System will also be suspended.   - From 5 to 6 p.m., the portion of Jacinto Street starting from the College of Fine Arts to the University Avenue will be one-way to make way for the CFA contingent. - Improvements [of roads] to the campus will continue even during the long Christmas vacation. The UP Sticker/ID System will resume implementation on December 15 while one lane of Magsaysay Avenue will again be closed to continue the Department of Public Works and Highway’s road concreting project. Civil works/improvements will also be done on UPD’s Moog portals for the installation of electronic gate barriers. — LBG, GMA News