The city government of Pasay has formed a composite team tasked to secure the vicinity of hotels and other venues where heads of states participating in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting this week will stay.
The team, which will complement the Apec National Organizing Committee, is composed of policemen, rescue teams and members of the Pasay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.
Aside from managing the smooth flow of traffic, the team will also monitor emergency situation in strategic areas including the Marriot Hotel area in Villamor; the Heritage Hotel area at the corner of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and Roxas Boulevard, and the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions near the World Trade Center in Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue.
“The city government has been on 24/7 operations since last week to ensure that the event will be, indeed, a milestone not just for the country, but for the city which will be the focus venue of most of the activities for Apec,” said Mayor Antonino Calixto.
City rescuers are composed of highly trained medics and emergency personnel working on 12-hour rotating shifts augmented by the Pasay Engineering Office’s trucks, payloaders and other heavy equipment in case of search, rescue and retrieval operations.
“We have set in place all necessary measures and mobilized all our resources to assist in the peaceful and safe conduct of this year’s conduct of the Apec,” said city administrator and overall Apec coordinator Dennis Acorda.
Some 22,000 police personnel coming from five districts in Metro Manila will be deployed for the Apec venues concentrated mostly in Pasay.
Pasay City police chief Joel Doria said clearing operations are beng conducted along Taft Avenue and Baclaran, and other areas to assure that alternate routes are free from obstructions.
The Traffic and Parking Management Office will also deploy its men to manage the APEC Mabuhay Lanes as well as alternate routes for the public while the Tricycle and Pedicab Franchise Regulatory Office conducts daily operations to make sure that pedicabs and tricycles are plying their routes in inner streets and unregistered ones impounded.
Likewise, the Environment and Natural Resources Office also stepped-up its mobilization to make certain that the APEC venues as well as areas of the city are free from garbage, clutter and illegal obstructions.
On the other hand, the Pasay Public Information Office will continuously give out public advisories as well as answer queries regarding real-time traffic situations, alternate routes as well as information regarding the APEC.
Pasay was one of the three localities visited by Pope Francis last January. The city was also visited by US President Barack Obama‘s in April 2014.
The national government commended Pasay City for its capability to host international conferences and events and accommodate both local and foreign visitors.