Peñafrancia festival gets roadside assistance

The motorist assistance program aims to make sure that appropriate warning, directional and informational signage are legibly and visibly installed

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) once again deployed its Motorist Assistance Teams as they gear up for an expected huge influx of devotees and visitors to take part this year’s celebration of the Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City next week.

Dubbed as Lakbay Alalay, the motorist assistance program aims to make sure that appropriate warning, directional and informational signage are legibly and visibly installed through the major thoroughfares and along critical sections.

According to the DPWH, 13 Motorist Assistance Centers will be installed and operational for the festival to be manned by engineers, car mechanics, equipment operators and other service crews who will provide free roadside emergency repair assistance to motorists.

Roaming units are also assigned to monitor activities along the major routes particularly the stretch Daang Maharlika.

At the DPWH, Rawis, Legazpi City, a skeletal workforce from Maintenance Division will man the Office to receive reports from field offices and to render emergency services that may be required during the dates of the activities.

DPWH said the initiative has already started on 19 September until 23 September 12:00 noon wherein up to a million devotees and visitors are expected to part-take during entire duration of the festival.

Meanwhile, road closure will be implemented at exactly 12 noon to give way to the fluvial procession of the image of Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia as it navigates the Naga River on Saturday.

The procession will take more or less an hour and will be escorted by two or three patrol cars of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Earlier, the PNP disclosed that about 2,000 policemen would be dispatched in Naga City to provide security during the annual observance of the Feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia.

The 13 Motorist Assistance Centers will be installed and operational along Regional Government Center, Rawis, Legazpi City; Barangay Lidong in Sto. Domingo; Barangay Busay, Daraga, Albay; Barangay Paulog, Ligao City; Barangay Tabugon in Sta. Elena; Colacling, Lupi Camarines Sur; Tambo, Pamplona, Camarines Sur; Barangay Concepcion Grande in Naga City; Pili — Tigaon -Albay Boundary Rd, Caraycayon Section; In front of DPWH Camarines Sur 5th DEO Office; Sta. Teresita Bao, Camarines Sur; DPWH Rest House, Agos, Bato Camarines Sur; Pepita Park, Bucalbucalan, Sorsogon City and Barangay San Pedro, Irosin Sorsogon.