Makati central business district closed to traffic during WEF

Ayala Avenue is part of the Makati Central Business District (CBD). Photo courtesy of Philippine Commercial Properties.

MANILA — The Makati City Traffic Department on Tuesday announced that some roads in Makati Central Business District will be closed during the upcoming three-day 23rd World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia.

The international conference will be held from May 21 to 23 in different venues in Makati and Pasay Cities.

In its Twitter account, the Makati City Traffic Department said the entire stretch of Ayala Avenue from the corners of Makati Avenue to Paseo de Roxas will be closed from traffic during the first day (Wednesday, May 21) of the forum from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

The city traffic department is advising motorists to take the alternate routes which are Paseo de Roxas and Makati Avenue.

It added that on Thursday (May 22) the roads fronting the Makati Shangri-La Hotel, the venue of the forum, will also be closed from traffic from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

On Friday (May 23), the road at Makati Shangri-La Hotel will be closed from traffic from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Makati Traffic Department said motorists can use the Parkway Drive near the hotel as well as Makati and Ayala Avenues going to their destination.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has designated a special route for the delegates of the WEF.

”The special route will be from Ayala Avenue to Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) straight to Macapagal Boulevard going to the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC),” Emerson Carlos, MMDA assistant general manager told the Philippines News Agency (PNA) in a text message.

He said the special route will remain open for motorists.

For his part, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said the agency will be implementing a temporary modified truck ban scheme along Roxas Boulevard and Osmeña Highway on Thursday to give way to the forum.

The one-day modified truck ban hours along the two major roads are from 6:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Tolentino said the regular truck ban hours, which are from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., and 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., will be reinstated the next day on Friday.

“We would only like to assure the efficient mobility of the WEF delegates in our major thoroughfares, especially in Makati and Pasay areas where the forum’s major events will take place,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino said that the agency will deploy 1,000 personnel to assist the motorist and to avoid traffic delays, he advised motorist to use alternate routes.

Tolentino asked motorists to avoid roads leading to the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila and the Makati Central Business District, the venues of WEF.

According to Tolentino, at least two heads of state and 633 business and civil society leaders from 30 different countries would proceed to the PICC for their dinner.

“I suggest to motorists to avoid the area around PICC on Thursday (May 22), particularly Gil Puyat Avenue and Roxas Boulevard between 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and give way to the delegates,” Tolentino added.

WEF is an international institution committed to improving the state of the world through public-private cooperation in the spirit of global citizenship.

With the theme “Leveraging Growth for Equitable Progress,” WEF has chosen the Philippines as the host country being one of the “greatest economic comeback stories” in recent years with GDP growth projected to surpass 6.5 percent.

The meeting will serve as an ideal platform for participants to deliberate the opportunities of the ASEAN Economic Community to promote greater inclusion across East Asia and to instill more resilient decision-making in the face of unpredictable economic and natural disruptions.

The WEF said the meeting of some of the region’s most influential people would be held against a backdrop of impressive growth rates and an ambitious journey toward regional integration and trade liberalization.

The WEF refers to itself as an independent international institution committed to improving the state of the world by promoting partnerships between governments and the private sector. Its members in the Philippines include conglomerates Ayala Corp. and SM Investments, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., and global port giant International Container Terminal Services Inc.