MARIKINA City has ordered heightened traffic management and security measures as congestion builds up in marketplaces and commercial areas in the Christmas shopping rush, Mayor Marjorie Ann “Maan” Teodoro said. Teodoro issued the order during the city’s flag-raising ceremony, amid reports showing heavier vehicle volume and longer travel time on Monday morning, Dec. 15. Under the order, Personnel from the Office of Public Safety and Security (OPSS) and traffic enforcers were directed to improve vehicular flow in traffic bottlenecks. “That is why we instructed OPSS and the traffic enforcers to fix the flow of vehicles,” she said, ordering the deployment of personnel at critical entry and exit points and major intersections prone to gridlock. “We are instructing our OPSS to assign enforcers in critical areas, especially at the entry and exit points of our city, as well as at intersection areas where gridlock is sometimes experienced,” she said. The mayor cited public feedback indicating prolonged travel time even outside peak hours, pointing to the need for data-driven traffic adjustments. JAMES DANIEL DANIO “For example, at the corner of D. Mariano and J.P. Rizal, we receive reports that even when it is not rush hour, it takes 25 to 30 minutes before vehicles coming from Nangka reach the Farmers 1 area,” she said. Teodoro also ordered stricter enforcement of loading and unloading rules and tougher action against illegal parking during the holiday rush. “This is not to inconvenience anyone, but to protect time, safety, and the orderly flow of the daily lives of every Marikeño, especially during the Christmas rush,” she said. She said the OPSS has been conducting consultations and trial traffic schemes with vendors, shoppers, and drivers to strike a balance between commerce and mobility. Teodoro asked the Marikina police to intensify police visibility and tighten market security to prevent theft. “At the same time, we are asking the Marikina PNP to enhance police visibility and tighten the guarding of our markets to prevent pickpockets,” she said.