This Week in Metro Manila (November 2 to 8, 2019)

Bring an umbrella every time you go out this week because the weather will vary from cloudy to rainy. Chances for thunderstorms and light showers are high, and clear skies might only appear in the latter parts of the week. The expected temperature range during the day will be 31 °C to 32 °C [1].

If you’ve noticed that the winds in the early mornings have been colder, it is because the Amihan (Northeast monsoon) season has already officially started in late October. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced that the winds will be dry and cooler. The cold surges would be experienced from December to February 2020 [2].

The schedules for the RRCG point-to-point (P2P) buses for the holiday weekend has been announced. RRCG handles the following routes: Alabang Town Center to Greenbelt 1, Ayala Malls Southpark to Greenbelt 5, and Alabang Town Center to Ayala Malls the 30th. The schedule for their P2P operations during the holiday are as follows [3]:

• November 2: Selected routes only

• November 3: Regular operations will resume for the Alabang Town Center to Greenbelt 1 route

• November 4: Regular operations will resume for the Ayala Malls Southpark to Greenbelt 5 and Alabang Town Center to Ayala Malls the 30th routes

Heads up to motorists who will travel to the south this November 8: the SLEX-Filinvest Southbound exit ramp would be closed from the public for 16 hours. Expect heavier traffic congestion around the area. The southbound exit ramp would be closed from 10:00 PM, November 8 to 2:00 PM, November 9. The closure was enforced for the preventive maintenance that will be conducted in the area [4].

Local government units issued advisories for traffic rerouting and road closures that will take effect until November 3. The advisories are as follows [5]:

Makati area (effective until November 3, 12:01 AM)

• South Avenue (Metropolitan Avenue to J.P Rizal Street)

• Kalayaan Avenue (Zapote Street to N. Garcia Street)

• Vito Cruz Avenue Extension (P. Ocampo Avenue, and from Zapote Street to South Avenue)

One-way traffic: Metropolitan Avenue from South Avenue to Jupiter Street

• J.P Rizal Avenue from Makati Avenue to Pasong Tirad Street and vice versa

• Zapote Avenue from J.P Rizal Avenue to Metropolitan Avenue and vice versa

Vehicles along J.P Rizal Avenue that will be coming from Delpan Street eastbound can use the temporary two-way J.P Rizal Avenue. Those in Ayala Avenue extension coming from the Central Business District Area northbound and westbound can take Ayala Avenue extension then turn left to Metropolitan Avenue. From there, they can turn right to Zapote Street, left to J.P Rizal Avenue, and then turn right to A.P Reyes Avenue to destination.

For CBDA eastbound, turn left from Ayala Avenue to Metropolitan Ave. Take a right turn to Zapote Street and right to J.P Rizal Ave. Head straight to Makati City Hall or Makati-Mandaluyong Bridge. Another option would be turning right to N. Garcia Street then left to Kalayaan or Jupiter Street. If you’re along J.P Rizal Ave coming from Delpan and Sta. Ana area southbound, you can travel along J.P Rizal Street then right to Zapote Street. Turn left to Kamagong Street until you reach your destination.

Marikina (effective until November 3, 6:00 PM)

One-way traffic: Andres Bonifacio Avenue from Barangka Flyover to Shoe Avenue stoplight

Vehicles going to Loyola Memorial Park can use Marcos Highway to Barangka Flyover. Barangka underloop to Andres Bonifacio Ave is also an alternative. You can enter through Gate 2 of Loyola Memorial Park. The Gate 1 of Loyola Memorial Park will only serve as an exit.

Hotel room availability for November 2 to November 3 is plenty for both solo travelers to families who are planning to have a staycation over the weekend [6].

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