21-hour Traslacion 2019 ends with 'no untoward incidents'

MANILA, Philippines — The carriage carrying the image of the Black Nazarene reached the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila on Thursday after a 21-hour long procession that started at the Quirino Grandstand early Wednesday.

WATCH: The carriage carrying the image of the Black Nazarene enters the gates of The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila. This year's traslacion is 1 hour earlier compared to last year which lasted for more than 22 hours | via Miguel de Guzman pic.twitter.com/w4ab9leYZM

— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) January 9, 2019

The procession started at a little past 5 a.m. on Wednesday and ended past 2 a.m. on Thursday, The STAR reports.

According to the Quiapo Church, as many as five million devotees were expected to participate in the traditional procession, which passes through major roads in the City of Manila.

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The Philippine Red Cross said Thursday morning that it had given medical assistance to 1,613 patients, 747 of whom had their blood pressure monitored. Another 603 people were listed as being attended to for "minor cases" or "breathing difficulty, fainting, puncture, abrasion, bruises, laceration, toothache, nosebleed, sprain, hypoglycemia, swelling, muscle spasm, body weakness and dizziness." 

We do what must be done.

PRC staff and volunteers continue to bring in injured devotees at the PRC Emergency Medical Unit at the Liwasang Bonifacio, PRC staff and volunteer nurse and doctors are ready to serve. pic.twitter.com/0QwZR9TKPi

— Philippine Red Cross (@philredcross) January 9, 2019

The National Capital Region Police Office, which handled security for the yearly event, said it had recorded no casualties or major untoward incidents. 

Director Guillermo Eleazar, NCRPO chief, said that around 7,200 police officers had been depoloyed to secure the route of the procession and to ensure order during the event. Police were at their posts a day before the procession and stayed on duty until the end.

"I would like to commend our police as well as the media who were there with us," he said.

NO UNTOWARD INCIDENT - PDIR ELEAZAR#traslacion2019
6.15kms
21hours7minutes
300metersperhour
5metersperminute pic.twitter.com/nm3irN0ofh

— ORD NCRPO (@ordncrpo) January 9, 2019

"Based on our assessment, its better now than before, with the result of peace and order situation and with the result of injuries and casualties, this year it was more orderly compared to last time but we we want to improve on it more for Traslacion 2020," Eleazar also said in English and Filipino in a Facebook post.

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