Cotabato suspends no parking policy for Eid prayers

By Edwin Fernandez

August 10, 2019

Atty. Cynthia Guiani Sayadi

COTABATO CITY: The city government will suspend its newly-enforced “absolute no parking policy” along selected major thoroughfares here on Sunday for Eid'l Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice), a Muslim holiday.

Eid al-Adha commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah's (God's) command to sacrifice his son. Muslims around the world observe the event annually.

Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said the suspension will be from 5 a.m. until 8 a.m. to provide parking spaces for the Muslim faithful, who will be attending Eid al-Adha congregational prayers in various mosques in the city, especially along Sinsuat Avenue.

The absolute no parking policy has been in effect along Sinsuat Avenue and Quezon Avenue since August 5 and the public welcomed its implementation because it provided relief for commuters, students and workers who always get stuck in heavy traffic.

“What used to be a 30-minute ride from downtown to the Cotabato City Hall has been reduced to a 10-minute ride under normal speed,” the mayor said referring to the new traffic scheme.

The various congregational prayers for Muslims will be held at the grounds of the Cotabato City Hall, Cotabato City State Polytechnic College, Cotabato City Central Pilot Elementary School, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Complex.

The no parking policy will again be enforced after 8 a.m. on the same day. The Eid al-Adha celebration will end on the evening of August 12. (PNA)