Panayam kay Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham Tolentino
Panayam kay Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham Tolentino
Transcript
00:00 Tourism is now a holiday season and their preparations for the New Year's Eve are worth knowing.
00:06 I'm here with Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham Bambol-Tolentino.
00:11 Mayor Bambol, good afternoon.
00:13 Good afternoon, Madam Nina.
00:17 How many visitors have you brought to Tagaytay City this past Christmas, sir?
00:23 And how many are you expecting before New Year's Eve approaches in your town?
00:29 You know, from our experience in the past years, it's been a long time.
00:36 New Year's Eve is always more than Christmas.
00:42 Even in occupancy, traffic, etc.
00:47 So last Christmas, more than 500 people were estimated to have entered the city.
00:56 Because the streets are full of restaurants and hotels, rooms, bed and breakfast, and parks.
01:11 I said earlier that the parking area has become a picnic area.
01:15 We can see family bonding, people are landing in their cars' trunk, etc.
01:25 That's how many people are there.
01:27 Because of the good weather in Tagaytay, their bonuses and long weekend became a factor.
01:42 Of course, the proximity to Metro Manila.
01:49 Sir, do you have any plans for wearing face masks in Tagaytay City?
02:02 Because there are a lot of influenza-like illnesses in the cold weather.
02:07 How are you maintaining health security in the city?
02:13 For us, it's been open for a long time.
02:17 Except for the masses, because there are a lot of churches in our area,
02:23 aside from parochial churches, almost all convents and seminaries have churches.
02:32 There are notices reminding churches to wear face masks.
02:43 For us, we don't wear face masks even if there's a new strain.
02:52 We don't have one yet because the wind is strong.
02:56 I don't think that our experience is that strict when it comes to face masks.
03:05 It's good to march in Tagaytay, but is the alert level of Volcan Taal high now?
03:15 Does this have any effect on your visitors?
03:17 No, it's been a long time. Thank you.
03:20 We learned that the Taal is sleeping well.
03:24 It helped and added to the alert level.
03:26 Sometimes, before when there was a low level, people were worried.
03:36 But it's not like that. Before, way way back, when it was brutal, there were more people watching.
03:43 There were more tourists.
03:46 Now, the temperature has changed.
03:48 But for now, it's not like that. It's one of the factors that our local and foreign tourists are decreasing.
03:58 Sir, how is your traffic management in Tagaytay?
04:04 Because there was heavy traffic during rush hours before Christmas because of the crowd.
04:12 Is the same traffic expected this coming weekend in Tagaytay?
04:18 Yes. That's what I'm asking for clarification and for the visitors to understand.
04:25 There is a portion that is heavily trafficked because the flyover has started.
04:35 So it's a little bit heavy. But on other parts, we have opened a lot of bypass roads. That's why it's in the waste.
04:45 That's why it's open to others, going to Alfonso, Sugbu, adjacent municipalities.
04:54 We have opened new bypass roads. That's the only critical thing, that there is construction of flyover.
05:02 That's what we are preparing. We have an augmentation over time in our traffic enforcers.
05:10 Traffic is heavy, not the entire, but the portion, the intersection of Manacay.
05:20 It's heavy during New Year. New Year is heavier than Christmas and Holy Week.
05:28 I don't know. I know why. Because it's cold and pollution is being avoided.
05:37 Before, it was 5 cars, but now it's not.
05:41 What else? Some advices of the doctor, you should go to a higher place.
05:48 Some advices of the Fungsoy, you should go to a higher place when New Year comes.
05:53 That's all. And we have a lot of restaurants that are added and catered.
06:03 Okay. I just heard that. We talked to Asikweng. Fungsoy, you are lucky if you are in a higher place.
06:13 So Baguio, mountains, Tagaytay.
06:17 But sir, going back to the flyover, I experienced the heavy traffic because of the construction of the flyover.
06:27 When will it end?
06:29 Maybe next year. That's the intersection.
06:35 But we provided two alternate routes. We provided people and signages.
06:45 Before entering Tagaytay, we opened two alternate routes going to bypass.
06:52 You will hit Aguinaldo Highway, not passing Tagaytay anymore, the restaurants.
06:59 But the problem is, I cannot stop people.
07:03 Tagaytay still wants to go to the restaurants to pass time and eat bolalo and whatever delicacies, paulis, etc.
07:16 We cannot stop. That's how it is. First, the weather is good. Then, there's a fantastic view, relaxing.
07:27 Other than that, it's time for family bonding like Christmas. I thought it would be heavy in the morning, but when it reached the afternoon, it was terrible.
07:40 The traffic was heavy. I asked for your understanding and patience. I cannot stop family bonding in Tagaytay because of the weather and everything.
07:55 That's true. The restaurants are the ones that are being visited. The traffic and the flyover are there.
08:06 But if we want to go to Tagaytay, it's really beautiful there. It's delicious to eat, the weather is perfect.
08:13 How long is the travel time from Manila to Tagaytay? And let's say you pass Alfonso, how long is the travel time compared to Tagaytay Ridge?
08:26 On holidays, long weekend, one and a half. But if it's ordinary, we get one and ten, one and fifteen. Using the NUCA locks, you will hit Ginaldo Highway,
08:46 then you will hit another bypass that we did, four lanes to Alfonso. On the other side of Tagaytay, going to the eastern portion, you can take Santa Rosa,
09:00 then another bypass or you can take Santa Rosa and Calax, but you will take Kasili-Canluban. That's fast. It's fast.
09:11 Many bikers ride their bicycles on the weekends. It's not the weekend anymore. Everyday, there's a person biking. You will hit the People's Park.
09:22 That's another shortcut. What's the best time to travel, sir, Mayor, so we won't be trafficked?
09:32 Yes. That's a good question. You should travel early. If you have a weekday, if you have an office, of course, you should not travel at 8 a.m.
09:45 Early is okay. After that, 9 a.m. is also okay if you pass the peak hours, the rush hours. What else? Going back, there's always a counter.
09:59 If it's an ordinary morning, you will go back for a few years. So the package is wide. In the afternoon, you will go back for three months. The tight package is wide.
10:14 So it's always a counter to the rush hours.
10:18 So early in the morning.
10:20 But it's okay. It's colder. Early in the morning is also okay. It's colder. Cafes are open.
10:30 Sir, will there be a countdown or fireworks display at 12 p.m. on the 31st for the new year? What activities have you prepared for your tourists?
10:43 Unfortunately, our firecracker ban was 12 years ago. 12 years ago, that's right. That was my first term as mayor.
10:54 I finished my last term as mayor and then I went to Congress. That was when we brought firecrackers to Tagaytay.
11:05 So that's it. We didn't... Just yesterday, I turned down three requests from three hotels for fireworks display.
11:20 So we really don't want that. So it's the same, firecrackers and fireworks.
11:25 So...
11:27 So I'm sorry for the association. I already told our tourism council that we're not okay.
11:34 Yes. Weather, restaurants, that's it.
11:37 Except, we allow ordinary days of fireworks when there's a request and a specific period of time during weddings.
11:52 What if they have a wedding the year before?
11:57 So far, I haven't received any request because of wedding. That's what I'm worried about.
12:05 I'm worried that there might be a wedding. So I won't deny it.
12:11 So far, I haven't applied because of wedding. We'll check if there's a wedding.
12:18 The one that I applied for yesterday, there were really countdown fireworks.
12:25 So you'll just postpone the weather, restaurants, and your famous fireworks?
12:32 Yes.
12:33 You'll just wait for traffic?
12:35 Yes, so that you can use your sweaters, hoodies, and jackets.
12:39 Correct.
12:40 That's up to January, up to February.
12:43 Sir, please tell our fellow citizens to postpone the fireworks in Tagaytay.
12:52 I'm asking for your understanding if you will be affected by the traffic, not just a little bit, but on some portions.
13:04 But on other portions of Tagaytay, you can choose or use different routes and no bypass roads.
13:14 We are preparing everything to avoid that.
13:18 We are going to have overtime again. This is the last overtime of the year.
13:23 We will have overtime again on Holy Week, Christmas, and other long weekends that were declared.
13:31 So again, we will try to help you to avoid the traffic.
13:41 Thank you very much to those who are still coming and supporting our beautiful Tagaytay.
13:49 Of course, it's a bit cold because of the weather.
13:54 And your family bonding, it's an hour away from NCR.
14:02 Okay, sir. Thank you very much for your time.
14:05 This is Mayor Abraham Bambol-Tolentino. Happy New Year!