This Week in Metro Manila (July 23 to 29, 2018)

Check out news about SONA 2018, the weather, and traffic in Metro Manila!

By: Denisse Shawntel Tan | July 23, 2018

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The next earthquake drill is left unannounced so that the reaction of the public won’t be staged or scripted.

Image: Haycelle Bangoy

Aside from more rain, this week will also see SONA 2018 on July 23, which is President Rodrigo Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address. Besides preparing for the gloomy weather and the SONA, Metro Manila is also preparing for a major surprise earthquake drill that is anticipated to occur within the month. Meanwhile in terms of transportation news, changes have been made in the Sucat to Makati P2P route in terms of schedule, routes, and fare rates.

Weather: Wet weather continues in Manila

Unfortunately, the dark weather will still loom around Metro Manila this week as continuous rain is still expected. Thunderstorms are expected to occur on the latter part of the week, and temperature for the week is expected to be around 30 to 32 °C. Bring an umbrella and other necessary rain protective gears to be prepared.

As an additional precaution, anyone who’s residing in a flood-prone area should be alert during intense rainfalls as the downpour can result in floods. Anyone travelling abroad or into far provinces in the country should also be updated on flight cancellations due to inclement weather [1].

Traffic News

Sucat to Makati P2P route updated

The Sucat to Makati Point-To-Point (P2P) route has been updated with new schedules, stops, and fares. From PhP100, the standard fare is now PhP90 and the discounted fare for students, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens went down from PhP80 to PhP72. In addition, the new Makati pick-up and drop-off will be inside the Ayala Center and will include three stops: Robinsons Summit Ayala, The Columns Makati, and Landmark.

The route will be only operational from Monday to Friday and trips have been lessened. The earliest departure from the Sucat terminal is now from 6:00 AM until 4:00 PM while the arrival at the Makati stops is at 11:00 AM and the final one is at 7:30 PM [2].

Traffic in QC expected due to SONA 2018

Commuters in Quezon City might face heavier traffic on July 23, particularly around Batasan Hills, due to President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) at Batasang Pambansa. Protesters are expected to flock around areas such as Mendiola and IBP road in Batasan Hills [3]. Another factor that can affect traffic is the ongoing construction of the MRT-7 along Commonwealth Avenue.

Travel Updates

Cebu Pacific strictly implements policy on hand-carry baggage

Cebu Pacific started to impose a stricter policy on the hand-carry baggage acceptance last July 19. According to the airline, passengers are allowed to have one carry-on or hand-carry baggage while inside the cabin, but it must not exceed the maximum weight of seven kilograms and the dimension must only be up to 56cm x 36cm x 23cm.

Along with handbags, passengers are also allowed to carry laptop bags and purses that they can fit under the seat. Parents travelling with infants are also entitled to bring one bag containing all the baby’s necessities along with their personal hand-carry baggage [4].

MMDA’s surprise earthquake drill

In other news, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) encourages anyone in the metro to participate in the surprise earthquake drill anytime this July. While the exact date of the said drill is unannounced, the four evacuation camps were already identified, and they are as follows [5]:

North: Quezon City Memorial Center, UP Diliman Grounds, and Veterans Memorial Medical Center
East: Marikina Boys Town, Red Cross Compound in Marikina, LRT 2 station Depot in Santolan, and Ultra Pasig
West: Intramuros Golf Course
South: Villamor Air Base Golf Course

Sources:
[1] https://bit.ly/2u7ByBM
[2] https://bit.ly/2NpiZkC
[3] https://bit.ly/2uAfH7b
[4] https://bit.ly/2JzZ9AS
[5] https://bit.ly/2unoObj

About Denisse Shawntel Tan

Denisse Tan is currently a work in progress: she’s an aspiring writer, artist, and fashion designer! She’s trying to figure out how to manage her time in achieving all of her goals while also taking in life as humanly possible. Aside from art, she’s a big fan of the color pink, disco music, Bratz dolls, and Genshin Impact. By age 35, she plans to travel to New York City 🗽.

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