Quiapo roads closed for Black Nazarene feast

MANILA, Philippines — Roads around Quiapo Church will be closed as all activities related to the feast of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 9 go online, the Manila Police District (MPD) announced yesterday.

The MPD’s traffic enforcement unit will implement road closures beginning at 4 a.m. today until Sunday.

The following roads will be closed:  southbound lane of Quezon Boulevard from A. Mendoza/Fugoso to Quezon Bridge; westbound lane of España Boulevard from P. Campa to A. Mendoza; Evangelista street from P. Paterno street to C.M. Recto Avenue; Raon from Evangelista to Quezon Boulevard; C. Palanca street from Plaza Lacson to Quinta market; northbound lane of Rizal Avenue from Carriedo to C.M. Recto Avenue, and a stretch of Bustos street from Plaza Sta. Cruz to Rizal Avenue.

Motorists are advised to take the following reroutes: vehicles bound for Quezon Boulevard from A. Mendoza should turn right to Fugoso street, left to Rizal Avenue or Severino Reyes street to point of destination.

Motorists from Quezon City bound for España Boulevard should turn left to Nicanor Reyes street, right to C.M. Recto Avenue or turn right to P. Campa street to Fugoso street to point of destination.

Vehicles from P. Burgos Avenue and Taft Avenue bound for Quezon Bridge should go straight to Jones Bridge or McArthur Bridge to point of destination. Those from McArthur Bridge bound for C. Palanca street or northbound lane of Rizal Avenue should go to Plaza Sta. Cruz to Dasmariñas street to point of destination.

Masses for the feast of the Black Nazarene will be held online due to the threat posed by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno announced the cancelation of all activities for the feast of the Black Nazarene.

Talks are still ongoing about the cancelation of the upcoming Sto. Niño feast in Tondo for all masses to go online.

The Archdiocesan Shrine of Santo Niño in Tondo announced on its Facebook page that the Sto. Niño de Tondo Parish will be closed to devotees during its annual feast from Jan. 15 to 16.

Meanwhile, San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora banned all activities in the city for the celebration of the feast of the Black Nazarene.