MANILA, Philippines — Except for a few instances when devotees and police officers securing the andas or carriage bearing the statue of the Black Nazarene clashed, yesterday’s annual Traslacion was generally peaceful, according to authorities.
Devotees were confused when the procession started at 4:16 a.m. instead of an hour later as per tradition.
The shortened route, which passed through Ayala Bridge rather than Jones Bridge as in previous years, cut travel time by several hours.
After more than 16 hours, the procession ended, with the Black Nazarene reentering the Minor Basilica of Quiapo Church before 9 p.m.
According to the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), at least 2.3 million devotees joined the procession.
Authorities said the crowd was expected to increase by nightfall.
The presence of more than 2,000 policemen and Army personnel assigned to flank the andas led to a smoother pace, with the icon reaching Ayala Bridge as early as 6 a.m.
But the devotees who wanted to come close and touch the carriage became restless and started cursing the policemen.
Plastic bottles started flying and heated exchanges between the policemen and devotees ensued.
Barefoot devotees accused the boots-clad policemen of stepping on their toes as they tried to get closer to the ropes and carriage.
After jostling and cursing, the devotees managed to break the policemen’s flank at Ayala Bridge and grabbed the ropes that pulled the carriage.
A sport utility vehicle with a police marker was damaged as the devotees clambered up on it.
A man from Cagayan was reportedly arrested for carrying a bolo. Another was reportedly nabbed after engaging an officer in a fistfight.
By 2 p.m., the head of the procession was at Concepcion Aguila.
Authorities monitoring the procession at Quiapo Church estimated that the icon would reach the Church before 10 p.m., an improvement from the 23-hour procession recorded last year.
Barred from andas
Shortly after the “Morning Prayer” led by Quiapo Church rector Monsignor Hernando Coronel, the Hijos del Nazareno transferred the Black Nazarene from the Quirino Grandstand to the carriage.
Unlike in previous years, police officers cordoned the carriage and barred unruly devotees from getting closer to the Black Nazarene.
Ten minutes after leaving the grandstand, the procession started smoothly as the image was passing near the Manila hotel.
Devotees started to get near the andas as the procession was nearing Roxas Boulevard.
Lawmen started to encounter problems with unruly devotees when the image reached Ayala Bridge at around 6 a.m.
“Every year we are trying to improve with the help of many people… this time, it was smoother. So every year we make it better. It was according to plan that the devotees were at the back of the carriage,” Coronel said.
Based on the police’s plan, devotees were only allowed at the back of the andas and were prohibited from climbing onto the carriage.
Coronel said the morning prayer started at 4 a.m., which was an hour earlier than previous years, to allow the people to participate in the ceremony.
He said it was the first time for him to join the Traslacion crowd as a sign of solidarity with the uniformed personnel who secured the carriage.
Devotees had mixed reactions on the new crowd control policy imposed by authorities.
A devotee named David said he felt bad that they were prohibited from climbing the carriage as it defeated the purpose of getting closer to the Black Nazarene.
“We were used to being allowed to climb up the carriage during the past Traslacion,” David said.
Another devotee, Dave Apolinario, said he supported the decision to prohibit devotees from getting closer to the andas as it made the Traslacion more organized.
Apolinario said having joined the procession is enough for a devotee like him, as he could touch the image every time he visits Quiapo Church.
Hastened procession flow
Preventing devotees from climbing the carriage was the idea of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Brig. General Debold Sinas to supposedly hasten the flow of the procession.
As soon as the devotees realized they were being barred from climbing the andas, they started hurling plastic bottles and invectives at the police officers.
“This is Traslacion! This is not a procession of the PNP,” the devotees shouted.
At around 6 a.m., some devotees tried to break the policemen’s flank. As the carriage reached Ayala Boulevard, they overpowered the men in uniform.
The devotees took over the ropes securing the andas at Ayala Bridge until the procession reached Carlos Palanca street.
Quiapo Church vicar Fr. Douglas Badong said the devotees had been climbing the andas ever since and were not used to being dictated on by the policemen.
Badong said the officers were trying to instill discipline among the devotees, but they failed.
Highest expression
The devotion to the Black Nazarene reaches its highest expression in the annual Traslacion and continues to strengthen the faith of Filipinos as they face trying times, President Duterte said.
Duterte urged Filipinos to contribute to nation-building and aspire for progress and a more inclusive future.
“As we move in procession with the image of Christ in our midst, may we all be inspired to lead our nation toward greater progress, where everyone gets an equal chance for an improved quality of life,” The President said in his message for this year’s Traslacion.?”May we also learn the virtues of compassion and selflessness as we do our part in nation-building. Together, let us work toward achieving a better and more inclusive future for all Filipinos,” he added. ?Duterte, who had a spat with the Catholic Church over criticisms by some bishops of his anti-drug war, said the stories of conversion and miracles surrounding Traslacion attest to the richness of the Filipinos’ religious and cultural heritage.?Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Traslacion is “a strong and a constant reminder of our people’s deep and lasting relationship with the Almighty.”?“It is a good opportunity to strengthen our Christian ties with each other and move us to a spiritual awakening and rebirth that will contribute enormously to having a peaceful Philippines,” Panelo said.
Over 1,000 injured
More than a thousand devotees were reportedly injured during the procession.
Data from the command post of the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office showed 1,051 were injured and 775 were treated for different injuries and illnesses as of 1 p.m.
Among those in the list were 527 people who suffered hypertension, 200 minor injuries, 12 shortness of breath while seven were rushed to hospital.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Danilo Lim said his 1,000 personnel continued to secure the Black Nazarene feast until the procession ended.?Lim said the MMDA’s traffic personnel served as guides to ensure the safety of devotees at Quirino Grandstand and along the procession route.?As of yesterday afternoon, 12 truckloads of garbage, mostly plastic food wrappers, empty water bottles, styrofoam and other food packages were collected by the MMDA’s street sweepers along the route.
An environmental group lamented the widespread dumping of garbage that again tainted the huge gathering of tens of thousands of Catholic devotees at the Quirino Grandstand.
“Soon after the carriage bearing the revered image left Quirino Grandstand, we saw lots of bins and bags teeming with mixed garbage, including sleeping materials, food leftovers, urine-filled plastic bottles, dirty diapers and hordes of single-use plastics,” said Jove Benosa, Zero Waste campaigner of the EcoWaste Coalition.
Feast generally peaceful
Despite hundreds of persons injured and the tense situation between devotees and policemen, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said the feast was generally peaceful.
“It was generally peaceful and orderly,” he said in a Viber message.
More than 13,600 police officers secured the Traslacion, with over
2,100 Special Action Force commandos flanking both sides and the front of the carriage.
Banac defended the stricter security measures imposed during this year’s procession despite protests from the devotees who were not able to get near the statue.
Sinas, NCRPO acting director, personally supervised the security cordon called the “Andas wall” around the image.
?Catholicism still strong
Through changing times, changing cultures and attacks, Catholicism is still strong and kicking in the Philippines as evidenced by millions of devotees who attended the Traslacion.
The Feast of the Black Nazarene is one of, if not the biggest, Catholic feast in the country.
Some believe that the Black Nazarene grants the prayers of its devotees.
In 2020, nothing has changed.
Devotees from all walks of life, from whatever age and from both genders, attended the feast yesterday.
In an interview with The STAR, 72-year-old Zenaida Macabenta said she is still attending the feast as a devotion for her good health.
Macabenta, who first attended the feast with her grandparents when she was still a schoolgirl, said she owed it to the Black Nazarene that she is able to still wake up and walk miles just to follow the statue.
“I wished for (the Black Nazarene) to further extend my life, despite my asthma. This has become my devotion,” Macabenta said in Filipino.
“Praise God, since I can still walk and walk a lot,” she added.
She passed the tradition on to her child and grandchild.
Another devotee also pointed at the Black Nazarene for keeping him and his family safe despite several dangerous times.
Angelito Quisiquisi, 69, said he dreamt of the Nazarene back when he was an elementary student, who told him that he should continue his devotion and it will be his protection.
Quisiquisi said he followed it, and as a result, he was able to survive three life-threatening incidents.
He said he was stabbed by robbers years back; he survived a fall at a cliff, where three others died; and he quickly recovered from a stroke.
In addition to this, Quisiquisi’s wife also suffered a serious ailment, but their faith, he said, quickly resulted in her quick recovery.
“We always keep the faith on the Black Nazarene. We also make sure that we will give back to the Church,” Quisiquisi said, who came all the way from Laguna to attend the annual devotion.
Rey Clavo, 43, also said that while he is relatively new being a devotee for the past five years, the Black Nazarene has never failed him in his prayer of safety for his children. – With Alexis Romero, Robertzon Ramirez, Mayen Jaymalin, Emmanuel Tupas, Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Rhodina Villanueva