Hundreds of cops to be deployed for Black Nazarene festivities

An estimated 500 policemen from the Manila Police District and about a thousand volunteer civilians will be deployed during the two-day festivities of the 402nd Feast of the Black Nazarene in Manila.

The feast of the Black Nazarene will start today with an overnight prayer vigil at the Rizal Park. This will culminate tomorrow with the traditional procession along streets of Manila with the statue in black wood of Christ carrying the cross towards Calvary.

Police are expecting about three million devotees to attend the two-day festivities. Last year’s estimate was more than two million devotees, reports said.

MPD Station 3 commander Superintendent Romulo Sapitula said they have started rounding up suspicious persons who might take advantage of the feast and start creating trouble during the two-day festivities.

On the other hand, the Light Rail Transit Authority also announced in a statement that the rail management would allow barefoot passengers during the Black Nazarene Day. LRTA Administrator Melquiades Robles said the LRTA management will relax its otherwise stringent security policy by allowing barefoot passengers to board its trains in deference to the customary celebration of the Feast Day of the Black Nazarene tomorrow.

Robles said traffic is expected to be heavy on this day so they are offering their LRT system as a cheap, fast, safe and more convenient alternative to regular transport.

Additional security staff

Robles announced that they will deploy additional security personnel with K9 dogs, as well as medical personnel and additional tellers at the U.N. Avenue , Central, Carriedo, D. Jose and Recto stations to accommodate the expected surge in passenger volume.

“We are more than ready to accommodate the increase in ridership on Friday, which we expect to be around 540,000,” Robles said, assuring passengers there will be more than enough trains to service them.

He said they are looking at fielding 31 trains with two spares to service the devotees and their regular passengers.

Following its Capacity Expansion Project, LRTA’s Baclaran-Monumento System now has a stable of 139 coaches that may be configured into three-car or four-car train combinations depending on passenger demand, with a carrying capacity of 1,309, 680 passengers per day. Its Recto-Santolan System has 16 trainsets available, which can carry a maximum of 730,240 passengers per day.

Earlier, the MRT3 management conducted exploratory talks with the LRTA, intending to lease the latter’s 1st Generation Trains (BN-ACEC), to supplement its train service after it was found to have already exceeded its carrying capacity. City of Manila yesterday said they have prepared adequate security and medical assistance during the two-day festivities of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, starting today and culminating tomorrow, Jan. 9.

The entire route to be used by the Callejeron or procession of the image of the Black Nazarene will be adequately secured and ambulances will be made available for devotees who might suffer from headaches and other ailments, a statement from the Manila City Hall said.

On the eve of the Nazarene fiesta, a healing Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Teodoro Bacani at 5 p.m. and the kissing of the Nazarene image will be held at 7 p.m. at the Quirino Grandstand.

On the Black Nazarene festivities tomorrow, a praise and worship activity will be held  at 12:30 a.m., then a continuation of the seven last stations of the cross at 2 a.m., as well as a concelebrated mass by His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales at the Quirino Grandstand at 7 a.m.

The procession will immediately follow the Mass at Luneta passing through 10 major thoroughfares before reaching its final site in Quiapo Church by 3 p.m.

The procession route is as follows—Luneta, Burgos St., McArthur Bridge, Rizal Avenue, Recto Avenue, Legarda Street, Arlegui St., Quezon Boulevard, Palanca Street, Villalobos Street, Plaza Miranda and Quiapo Church/Basilica.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim is the Hermano Mayor in this year’s feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo.

A similar Callejeron or procession of the Nazarene that was airlifted to Cagayan de Oro City will be held for the sake of Nazarene devotees in Mindanao. – With Rainier Allan Ronda