Mayor Beng Climaco has issued an executive order, re-routing vehicular traffic and naming one-way streets, two-way streets, walk-in streets, no entry and no exit points for the duration of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival next month.

In issuing EO No. BC 412-2018, Climaco justified that the new traffic scheme is necessary as the month-long event is expected to draw huge crowd of local and even foreign tourists who are devotees of Nuestra Señora La Virgen del Pilar, for whom the festivities are dedicated in celebration of Her feast on Oct. 12.

The 17-page executive order directs the temporary no entry or closure of R.T. Lim Boulevard (Southside lane) from the Sangguniang Panlungsod to junction of Alejo Alvarez Street to give way for the “Smoke-Out Zamboanga,: a grilled food fiesta, and Zamboanga Grand Midnight Sale from 5 p.m. to 12mn starting Sept. 29 to Oct. 13.

The Northside of the boulevard (Pilar College side) is declared one-way streets from west coast to city proper.

The truck ban on San Jose Road is temporarily lifted, thus all cargo trucks going out of PPA shall use the boulevard route after the activities. All vehicles from the west coast going to the city proper will use the Northside of R.T. Lim Blvd. Those coming from city proper to the west coast will turn right to Alejo Alvarez, turn left to San Jose Road then right to Buenavista Street or go straight to San Jose Rd.

The Zamboanga Hermosa Festival will have its opening salvo on Oct. 1 so does the inter-barangay bandoreal competition and Pink Parade on Oct. 1 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Mayor Vitaliano Agan Coliseum, thus traffic re-routing will be implemented on streets leading to and from the coliseum.

The parade of saints dubbed “La Gran Procession de las Santas Imagenes” is set on Oct. 6 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. from Ateneo de Zamboanga Universidad grounds towards Paseo del Mar, for which the affected streets will be closed to vehicles, others two-way, and some will be re-routed.

The “Regatta de Zamboanga” will be held on Oct. 7 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at R.T. Lim Blvd, similar traffic scheme will be implemented as that of the “Smoke-Out”.

For more details about the Hermosa traffic scheme, interested parties may coordinate with the City Administrator’s Office and the police.

Likewise, the executive order strictly prohibits the flying of drones over the areas/venues of activities, except those from the police and military for security purposes.

The Zamboanga City Police Office through the Traffic Management Group is directed to implement the order in a bid to efficiently and effectively address redundant loads situation throughout the festival period.-(Vic Larato)