Dry run smooth; up to 15T attend

CEBU, Philippines - Yesterday’s dry run for the 2016 International Eucharistic Congress was “generally peaceful” and motorists remained patient albeit several major thoroughfares in Cebu City closed for several hours. 

The activity lasted for at least three hours and was participated by an estimated 15,000 during the procession, which kicked off with a mass of Christ The King at the Capitol grounds.

“Based on the solemn parade and the mass, I can say that we are ready 100 percent for the traffic management side,” said Cebu City Traffic Operations Management Executive Director Rafael Yap.

With 200 traffic personnel deployed, Yap said no significant congestion in vehicle traffic was noted in the uptown area during the mass, which started at 4 p.m., but it was felt during the procession that followed, especially in the downtown area.

Chief Insp. Wildemar Tiu of the Fuente Police estimated the crowd at the mass to have reached 6,000 but this number reportedly ballooned significantly to up to 15,000 during the procession.

This number, however, decreased to 3,000 at the tail end of the procession at the Plaza Independencia, said Sr. Insp. Wayne Magbanua, chief of the Waterfront Police.

From the Capitol grounds, the procession traversed Osmeña Boulevard, turned left to P. Del Rosario Street, turned right to General Maxilom Avenue, and turned left back to Osmeña Boulevard heading toward Plaza Independencia.

Medical and police teams, as well as student volunteers were stationed along the procession route while personnel of the city’s Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement group also monitored the route to ensure vendors did not take advantage of the activity. Balloons are also banned.

The crowd reached the plaza at past 7 p.m. where Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma led the solemn benediction with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama leading the consecration of the Holy Eucharist.

Rama and Governor Hilario Davide III were also present at the Holy Mass at the Capitol grounds.

Yap said information dissemination needs to be heightened prior to the event in 2016 because several motorists remained unaware of yesterday’s dry run despite information dissemination days before.

Yap said one of the challenges that CITOM may encounter during the IEC is transporting delegates, but he is optimistic mechanisms will be put in place in future organizational meetings.

The activity yesterday was, in fact, a combination of several religious occasions.

Apart from the annual celebration of the feast day of Christ the King, yesterday also marked the end of the observance of the Year of the Laity and the beginning of the observance of the Year of the Poor.

Palma said the values on which the observance is anchored are ones that good Christians and Catholics ought to practice. These include trying to live simply and to be one with the marginalized sectors in society, direct intervention through various activities like medical and relief efforts, and pushing for advocacies that will make the poor feel worthy as a way of expressing faith.

In a separate development, Palma said he will only ‘submit’ to the final itinerary of Pope Francis’ visit to the Philippines in January only after every possible way of inviting him to Cebu is exhausted.

Visayas bishops have petitioned the Vatican to include Cebu and Bohol in the Pope’s itinerary but the same was not granted. Rama, meanwhile, said the city government will write the Vatican and make the same plea. — /JMO (FREEMAN)