More security escorts to be fielded in Metro Manila for ASEAN summit

Additional security escorts will be deployed instead of blocking roads to secure the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) Leaders Summit activities that will be held in Manila this April.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Dir. Oscar Albayade said on News To Go on Tuesday that President Rodrigo Duterte ordered an alternative to road blocking following the congestion it caused in the 2016 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.

He added that interruption to Manila's traffic will be minimal as the majority of the activities of the summit will be conducted in Region III at Clark in Pampanga.

"Mga two, three days lang dito and it will start around April," Albayalde said. "Kaya 'yung traffic, siguro management 'yun, hindi 'yung iba-block lang yung the whole stretch ng road kagaya nung ginawa nga, kaya maraming nagalit."

Under Duterte's directives, the NCRPO will coordinate with traffic personnel before the summit to manage the road.

"We will just coordinate with the traffic personnel bago sila dadaan and then we'll provide them with enough, siguro mga naka-motorcycle and enough security," Albayade said.

Police will also adopt the signal blocking tactic that was used in the APEC Summit, a measure they did not employ in the recent Miss Universe celebrations to allow candidates to use social media.

Duterte launched the Philippines' chairmanship of the ASEAN 2017 summit on January 15.

"Partnering for Change, Engaging the World" is the theme for this year's ASEAN Summit.