A month before the Christmas season, Quezon City authorities asked the local police and the city’s traffic bureau to prepare the contingency plans in advance to prevent chaos and ensure public safety for shoppers and revelers during the holidays.

Councilor Jimmy Borres of the third district of Quezon City said advance preparation of peace and order plans between the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and the Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) will lessen the chances of untoward incidents usually associated with Christmas celebration.

During the holidays, Borres said incidents of hold-up, snatching, robbery, drunken driving, and traffic congestion increase, jeopardizing public safety.

In previous years, the QCPD deployed at least 200 uniformed and civilian police personnel on strategic locations like shopping malls, churches and known crowded areas leading to night club strips.

The QCPD Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) and DPOS have joined forces with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in minimizing traffic snarls and bottleneck routes caused mainly by the influx of shoppers in malls and supermarkets.

Borres appealed to motorists to temporarily avoid roads leading to and near shopping malls, department stalls, supermarkets to decrease traffic congestion to manageable levels during these times of the year.

“The Christmas fever is just around the corner. Some malls are starting to display stocks for the holiday season as early shoppers are starting to brows on these items,’’ Borres noted.

He noted that familiarizing themselves to alternate routes this Christmas season on known traffic-prone areas like Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), Rizal Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue, Roxas Blvd. and Ayala Avenue will greatly ease the load off the shoulders of the traffic enforcers.

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando advised Makati City bound vehicles coming from EDSA-North Avenue to take Mother Ignacia St. leading towards Wilson St. in San Juan and Shaw Blvd. in Mandaluyong City leading to the Makati-Mandaluyong Bridge.

Northbound vehicles from Makati City may take Circumferential Road 5 (C-5) via Ayala Avenue or Mckinley Road leading to the farthest north without passing through EDSA.

Vehicles going south coming from Monumento, Caloocan City may take North Avenue going to Commonwealth Avenue, Katipunan Avenue and leading to C-5 in going to Makati City.

Borres said police authorities should immediately meet with officials of the 142 barangay in Quezon City to discuss strategies in providing maximum security to Catholics attending the traditional “Simbang Gabi’’ which starts on December 16.

At the same time, concerned citizens trooped to the office of Borres asking him to initiate steps in clamping down girlie joints and beerhouses showing lewd shows which is expected to proliferate further next month.

The group said that instead of focusing on the spiritual aspect of the holiday season the nightspots showing lewd shows as a form of entertainment have brought down the moral values of mankind to the lowest degree.

“Intoxicated patrons and regular customers of beerhouses showing bold shows have promoted lust promoting prostitution and increasing sex-related crimes in the city,’’ one of the concerned members of the group said.