CEBU, Philippines — The Mandaue-Mactan Bridge will be closed for at least four hours on Friday and Saturday for the solemn procession and the fluvial parade, respectively.
The bridge closure will start at 10 p.m. on Friday until 2 a.m. on the following day to give way for the solemn foot procession of the images of Señor Santo Niño and the Our Lady of Guadalupe from the National Shrine of Saint Joseph in Mandaue City to Lapu-Lapu City.
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan will receive the two images from Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes at the bridge. A motorcade to the Our Lady of the Rule Church in Lapu-Lapu City, where the Santo Niño and the Our Lady of Guadalupe will stay for few hours before the annual fluvial procession, will follow.
At the Our Lady of the Rule Church, devotees will be given the chance to venerate the pilgrim images from 2:30 a.m. until 3:45 a.m. A traditional “pahalok” where devotees can kiss the image of the Holy Child will be held before a 4 a.m. mass will start.
After the mass, a motorcade to the Naval Forces Central, the launching area for the fluvial parade, will follow at 5 a.m.
Michael Encina, spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard-Central Visayas, said the bridge will be closed again at 5 a.m. until the fluvial procession is over.
Encina said a total of 146 seacrafts have registered to join the parade. He said the procession is divided into three divisions.
The first division is composed of vessels with 15 gross tonnage and above. The second division is for 3 gross tonnage but below 15 while the third division is for below 3 gross tonnage or the small types motorbanca. FPL (FREEMAN)