By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA
The Bacolod Traffic and Transport Management Department (BTTMD) will implement a traffic rerouting and road closure for the city’s 88th Charter Day celebration on Thursday, June 18.
Levy Pangue, parade committee chairman, said the parade will start at the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol Lagoon and Lizares Street at 6:00 a.m.
Public utility jeepneys (PUJs) — with routes Bata, Mandalagan and Banago — from Lacson Street will take a right turn to North Capitol Road and a left turn to Gatuslao Street or San Juan Street and a right turn to Burgos Street.
PUJs then take a left turn to Palanca and a left turn to San Sebastian towards Lizares Street and back to the origin.
All PUJs with routes Punta Taytay, Alijis, Tangub, and Singcang-Airport from Araneta Street will take a right turn onto Roxas Street and left turn onto Lacson Street.
Jeepneys will then take a left turn to San Sebastian, then right turn to Lacson Street or Gatuslao Street, then right turn to Luzuriaga Street, and right turn to Lacson Street and back to their point of origin.
All PUJs with routes Shopping, Fortune Towne and Homesite from Burgos Street will take a left turn to Villanueva, then left turn to Galo Street and right turn to Mabini Street.
They will then take a right turn onto Gonzaga Street and left turn onto Gatuslao Street towards Burgos Street all the way to their point of origin.
Pangue said at least 60 traffic enforcers will be deployed to the affected areas to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.
Moreover, Mayor Greg Gasataya said that Negros Occidental 3rd District Representative Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez will be the guest speaker at the 88th Charter Day celebration.
Gasataya said Benitez serves as chairperson of the House special committee on creative industries, making his participation especially significant, adding that this aligns with the city’s efforts to promote its creative industries.
Bacolod has recently applied for inclusion in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Creative City of Gastronomy for 2027./MAP, WDJ