Black Nazarene feast today

MANILA, Philippines - Crowds swelled last night at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park as people gathered to pay homage to the image of the Black Nazarene, which would be brought back to Quiapo Church early this morning.

Police estimated over three million devotees will join this year’s Black Nazarene procession.

Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay said more people would participate in a vigil and the crowd would grow further.

Some of the devotees stayed at the Grandstand through the night to be able to attend the concelebrated Mass to be led by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales at 6 a.m. today.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, the MPD-Tactical Operations Center (TOC) said about 500 people had already assembled at the Grandstand.

“We have less than 100 policemen deployed in the area,” Magtibay said.

There are also about 1,000 people who come and go at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, more commonly known as Quiapo Church, as it has become the tradition of many Filipino Catholics to visit Quiapo Church every Friday.

Magtibay said the devastation caused by calamities, especially the typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” that hit the country last year, “might force more people to return to God.”

Thousands of Filipinos affected by Ondoy last September and Pepeng last October have not recovered from their losses.

Hundreds of people also spent Christmas in evacuation centers because of the eruption of Mayon volcano in Albay last month.

Parish priest Monsignor Jose Clemente Ignacio said last year between five and six million people, three million of whom were devotees, came in and out of Quiapo Church.

Monsignor Ignacio noted that devotees increase every year. In 2006, there were only one million devotees.

With the expected influx of devotees, Magtibay said they are deploying 1,500 uniformed police personnel, and this year, there would be contingent security from the Northern Police District, Eastern Police District, Southern Police District, and Quezon City Police District.

He added that police would deploy 45 ambulances, 22 medical team stations, and five sub-stations.

The Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, and Philippine Navy would also lend six rubber boats to be positioned below the Quezon Bridge, in case a devotee accidentally falls into the Pasig River.

They would also double check the stability of the bridge.

In cleaning up the garbage, they would rely on the assistance given by the Manila City Hall and about 500 youth volunteers.

“We would have a holistic approach wherein they would re-enact the translacion or the arrival of the Black Nazarene from Mexico to Quiapo,” Magtibay said.

Fr. Alvin Fullon, procession committee head, said this is the first time they would devote time for voters’ education because it blends with this year’s theme “Tunay na Deboto, Matuwid at Masunuring Katiwala ng Poong Hesus Narzareno” for the 403rd Black Nazarene anniversary. 

Actress Juana Change would lead a one-hour voters’ education, he said.

‘Don’t meet the procession’

Organizers said they again brought the image of the Black Nazarene to the Grandstand to prevent people from being trampled in narrow passageways.

They advised devotees not to meet the procession and just wait for it to pass by.

Monsignor Ignacio said devotees are also sensitive when it comes to politicians, and they only accepted Vice President Noli de Castro, who has long been a devotee, and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim who is the hermano mayor, to join the procession.

In the procession, organizers would use the old route planned by the Quiapo community.

From Quirino Grandstand, they would pass through Katigbak Drive, Padre Burgos Street, Taft Avenue, Palanca St., Estero Cegado, Carriedo, Evangelista Street, Puyat Street/Raon, Quezon Boulevard through the Quezon Bridge, Palanca Street, Globo de Oro Street, Gunao Street, Arlegui Street;

Fraternal Street, Vergara Street, Duque de Alba Street, Castillejos Street, Farnecio Street, Arlegui Street, Carcer Street, Hidalgo Street, Bilibid Viejo, Guzman Street, Hidalgo Street, Barbosa Street, Globo de Oro Street, Palanca Street and Villalobos Street through Plaza Miranda and finally back to the Quiapo Church.

The procession is expected to last 12 hours.

‘Drink plenty of water’

Meanwhile, meteorologists advised devotees joining the procession today to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration as humid weather is expected to prevail in Metro Manila.

Prisco Nilo, administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said Metro Manila would have partly cloudy skies with temperature ranging from 21 to 31 degrees Celsius.

Pagasa deputy administrator Nathaniel Cruz said they expect the weather to cooperate during the feast of the Black Nazarene.

“Little chance of intense rain. If there will be occurrence, it will be of light intensity only,” Cruz said, adding that cool temperature is likely to prevail in the morning but will warm up slightly in mid-afternoon. - Evelyn Macairan, Helen Flores