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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Metro Manila devider Recto to Lawton trip stretches to an hour amid road closures

Recto to Lawton trip stretches to an hour amid road closures

Published Jul 19, 2026 07:08 pm
The usually short southbound trip from Recto Avenue to Lawton stretched to nearly an hour on Sunday evening, July 19, as road closures for an anti-corruption rally at Liwasang Bonifacio coincided with the influx of Sunday churchgoers in Quiapo, causing heavy traffic in parts of Manila.
Vehicles crawl through Quiapo, Manila as road closures for an anti-corruption rally and the usual Sunday church crowd cause heavy traffic in the area. (Photo taken by Diann Calucin/MANILA BULLETIN)
Vehicles crawl through Quiapo, Manila as road closures for an anti-corruption rally and the usual Sunday church crowd cause heavy traffic in the area. (Photo taken by Diann Calucin/MANILA BULLETIN)
Several motorists complained of the unusually slow traffic, with some saying it took them nearly an hour to travel the short stretch from Recto to Lawton.
The Manila Police District (MPD) implemented road closures around Liwasang Bonifacio and key roads leading to Malacañang as members of the United People’s Initiative (UPI) staged a protest calling for government accountability and action against corruption. Police also deployed personnel and traffic barriers to secure the rally.
Traffic congestion was further aggravated by the usual surge of churchgoers traveling to and from Quiapo Church and nearby places of worship, adding to the volume of vehicles and pedestrians passing through the city’s major thoroughfares.
The congestion came during the 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. evening rush, when the volume of vehicles on major roads in Manila typically increases, adding to the traffic slowdown.
Authorities advised motorists to take alternate routes as some roads remained closed or had limited lanes open.
As of 5 p.m., the MPD estimated the number of rally participants at more than 1,000, with more protesters continuing to arrive at the venue.

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