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MANILA, Philippines - Delegates attending the 45th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) from May 2 to 5 will be spared the metropolis’s notorious traffic jams because they will be made to cruise on “courtesy lanes,” the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said on Sunday.
MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said the “courtesy lanes” will be located along Roxas Boulevard and more areas will be disclosed soon.
Tolentino said the truck ban is also being tweaked as part of preparations.
“Two lanes of Roxas Boulevard will be declared off-limits to other vehicles during the conference from May 2 to 5 but after the delegates’ vehicles have passed, these will be opened again to normal vehicular traffic,” Tolentino said. The purpose, he explained, is to ensure that delegates enjoy a smooth flow of traffic coming from their hotels and going to the conference site at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
The MMDA chief is set to meet this week with truck operators to discuss their planned modified truck ban.
“There will be adjustments on the time, particularly on San Marcelino Street in Manila and near the Luneta Park from May 2 to 5,” he said. Trucks, especially 10-wheelers and container trucks, will be prohibited from plying those areas during day time. He said they would only be allowed from 9pm to 4am.
However, the MMDA said they will exempt truck carrying perishable foodstuffs from the daytime truck ban in the affected areas, to ensure no disruptions in the supply of basic goods in the metropolis.
“The exemption from the ban would cover those carrying perishable food items such as fish, vegetables, dairy and poultry products and frozen meat products,” Tolentino explained.
Under MMDA regulations, cargo trucks are banned from plying the metropolis’ roadways from 6 to 9am and from 5 to 9pm from Monday to Friday.
Around 4, 000 ministers and senior government officials, business leaders, officials from fellow international financial institutions and civil society representatives are expected to attend the three-day conference.
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