Manila prepares for Black Nazarene feast, elections

Manila City Hall personnel are working round the clock to complete the cleanup and repairs in areas surrounding the Quiapo Church in time for the 400th anniversary celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 9.

Engineer Armand Andres, of the MCH-City Engineering Office, yesterday said it has been almost a week since they started preparing for the annual festivities.

This was meant to prevent accidents such as the death of two devotees last year. Fifteen others were hurt in the stampede during the procession.

Reynante Martinez was trampled to death along Carlos Palanca Street in Quiapo when he fell into an opening of an illegal water connection, while Ricardo Escobido died was trampled to death.

"We are already laying asphalt over potholes and openings caused by illegal water connections, removing obstructions and cleaning the drainage along the streets where the procession is expected to pass. We also made the necessary repairs along Plaza Miranda," said Andres.

City Hall employees also inspected the roads that would be used for the estimated five-hour procession around the Quiapo Church, also known as the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.

On the eve of the event, the Archdiocese of Manila will hold an overnight vigil at the Quirino Grandstand and a Mass would be officiated by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales the following morning.

The 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. procession would commence from Quirino Grandstand and pass through Katigbak Drive, Padre Burgos Street, McArthur Bridge, Carlos Palanca Street, P. Gomez Street, P. Paterno Street, Quezon Boulevard, Arlegui, Fraternal Street, Vergara Street, Duque de Alba Street, Castillejos Street, Farnecio Street, J. Nepomuceno Street, C. Aguila Street, Carcer Street, R. Hidalgo Street, Bilibid Viejo Street, Gil Puyat Street, Z. P. de Guzman Street, R. Hidalgo Street, Barbosa Street, Globo de Oro Street, Villalobos Street and Plaza Miranda before reaching Quiapo Church.

The Manila Police District (MPD) and Manila District Traffic Management Office (MDTMO) will field 500 uniformed police and traffic personnel.

MPD officer-in-charge Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa said there would also be 50 plainclothes policemen, six K-9s patrolling the area, four Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) police teams, two paramedics, three firetrucks and four ambulance units provided by the Manila Health Office.

Abarzosa said they have been conducting saturation operations this week to protect the crowd, which is expected to swell to 200,000.

There would also be five public assistance centers in the vicinity.

Getting ready for elections

Meanwhile, top police officials, headed by Metro police chief Director Reynaldo Varilla, will meet today for their first command conference this year to map out their security preparations in Metro Manila for the coming May polls.

Varilla said he would ask his five district directors and 37 station commanders to submit reports regarding the presence of politicians and their close associate’s private armies and their possible efforts to dismantle them.

"I would ask them to identify politicians with private armies and their recommended strategies in dismantling them before the May elections," said Varilla.

The meeting will be held at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City and will be attended by Varilla’s staff officers.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) claimed that they are closely monitoring at least 93 private armies nationwide. However, the PNP report did not say whether there are private armies in Metro Manila.

But to ensure that the May elections will be peaceful, the Metro police chief said they would intensify their campaign against loose firearms. — Non Alquitran