R7A gears Xp for &hinese New <ear celebration

THE Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) is gearing up for the week-long celebration of the Chinese New Year in Cagayan de Oro City starting this Saturday, February 10.

According to RTA officer in charge engineer Nonito Oclarit, Capistrano-Chaves Street in front of Jollibee will be closed to vehicular traffic until Capistrano-Gaerlan Street in front of the City Hall at 2 pm on Saturday, February 10.

Oclarit said the road closure is to make way for the preparations of the City Government and the Filipino-Chinese Community for the opening program which will be held on the same day at 5 pm in the City Hall mini-park.

He added that vehicles passing through the road, such as jeepneys going to Barangay Bonbon, NHA and Limketkai, will have to use another route.

“Bale magkakaron tayo ng temporary rerouting. Doon na iikot sa may Chaves (Street) likod ng Lourdes College. Doon na sila iikot tapos doon na sila lalabas sa may maternity hospital (Cagayan de Oro Maternity-Children’s Hospital and Puericulture Center). Dadaan sila sa may Rizal Street then dadaan sila ng Gaerlan Street papuntang Carmen bridge (We will have a temporary rerouting. They will pass through Chaves Street, in the back of Lourdes College and will proceed to the Cagayan de Oro Maternity-Children’s Hospital and Puericulture Center by passing through Rizal Street. Then they will be traveling the Gaerlan Street going to the Carmen bridge),” Oclarit said.

During the opening program on Saturday, students from Kong Hua School and Oro Christian Grace School will be performing a lion and dragon dance.

At 8 p.m. of the same day, the City Hall will also open its Symphony of Lights wherein Chinese Songs will be played in sync with the dancing lights.

On February 15, ceremonies will be conducted in the Bell Church in Barangay Macasandig and a fireworks display will be held in the evening.

Oclarit said traffic enforcers will be assigned outside the Bell Church to manage the traffic along the Biasong-Tinib Road during the event.

“Ima-manage namin yung harap doon na daan yung Biasong-Tinib Road. Maglagay kami ng traffic enforcers maski sa bandang gabi hanggang matapos yung program sa loob (We will manage the traffic flow of the Biasong-Tinib Road which is in front of the Bell Church. We will assign traffic enforcers there all throughout the evening until the program inside the Bell Church ends),” Oclarit said.

He added that there will be no closed roads during the motorcade on February 16, the day of the Chinese New Year, which will begin from Rodelsa Circle going around the city until the Bell Church.

“Normal flow [ang traffic] kasi doon sila mag a-assemble sa gilid [ng daan]. So hindi naman sila sa gitna talaga ng daan. Diyan lang sila sa pinaka outermost ng lane ng road.. hindi naman yung buong daan. Walang closure (The flow of traffic will be normal since they will just assemble on the side of the road. They won’t be occupying the whole lane since they will be passing through the outermost side of the road. There will be no closure),” Oclarit said.

This year will be the third time Cagayan de Oro City will be celebrating the Chinese New Year, according to John Baclig of the City Tourism Office.