THE head of the Metro Manila Development Authority admitted on Friday that the government’s lack of effective communication tools caused public confusion and disruption during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila.
“We need cooperation and we must have effective communication tools. Too many advisories caused an overload of information. We have to simplify the issuance of advisories, in layman’s term, one page is enough. It’s all there and there is no need to change the webpage,” said MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos.
“Public dissemination and information campaign is important because how many months that we did make announcements, about the impact of the advisory… but still it did not sink-in to the public. They realize it only last Monday, the first day,” he added.
Carlos also offered an apology for the unannounced vehicular traffic adjustment and closure of other main roads in the metropolis, saying the government made the decision because of the sudden changes in schedule and itinerary of some heads of economies.
“Last minute, Cavitex and Skyway were closed. It was not (included in the original) plan. We made the sudden closure also because of decisions and as a reaction to sudden schedules of the heads of states,” he explained.
Carlos said the preparation for the week-long Apec summit in Manila was more difficult than what they did during the Papal Visit last January.
“This is more difficult because we have 21 heads of states. During the Papal Visit, the Pope wants to see the people, which is not the case this time around. (The event) went smoothly. The people contributed, made sacrifices, but still we made it.”
On Monday, commuters and motorists encountered heavy traffic because of the late advisory and unannounced decision coming from concerned government agencies implementing the road closure and other adjusments during the holding of APEC.
Workers, students and elders forced to walk several kilometers to their destination, some came late for work and others went back home due to road closure and lack of public transport.
Carlos said they cannot blame the people getting angry with the government’s decision.
“Like what we have dealing before, we have to accept it. If you came up with a decision for the benefit of one sector, another sector will be affected.”
In its Nov. 20 advisory, the MMDA announced that the government’s lockdown protocol on major thoroughfares was still in effect until late Friday afternoon.
Remained closed to vehicular traffic as of 2 p.m. include Roxas Boulevard from Manila Hotel, P. Burgos Street in Manila leading to the Naia Road in Paranaque City while Naia Road leading to Terminal 1 was closed 9 a.m. until 12:15 noon to give way for the departure of APEC delegates.
Other main roads closed to traffic from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Friday were Ayala Avenue to Arnaiz Avenue and Magallanes Complex; Magallanes to Skyway/SLEX to Terminal 3 and the southbound of East Service Road SLEX from PNR Exit to Magallanes.
The southbound SLEX Skyway Ramp exit to Naia Terminal 3 was also closed to traffic from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.