BLESSING OF BLACK NAZARENE REPLICAS. Devotees line up replicas of the Black Nazarene along Carriedo Street in Quiapo, Manila on Wednesday (Jan. 3, 2024) for the blessing of the images. The devotees came from various parts of Manila and neighboring provinces, such as Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)
MANILA – A 15,000-strong police force will secure the Traslacion on Jan. 9, with some of them already deployed as early as December, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Friday.
Citing estimates from the 2020 Traslacion, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said around 2 million devotees are expected to attend the religious activity, the first in three years since the pandemic hit.
"Inaasahan natin na mga more or less mga ganun din ang bilang na halos 2 million sa kalahatan 'yung ine-expect natin na lalahok ngayon (We are expecting that around 2 million devotees overall will be attending this year's Traslacion)," she said.
Traslacion is the procession of the centuries-old black image of Jesus Christ, starting from Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church.
Police have been deployed early, Fajardo said, since there were Traslacion-related activities as early as Dec. 30 last year.
Aside from the 15,000 police officers, Fajardo said the PNP has "reserve standby force" that could be deployed if needed.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center will raise to "blue alert" its level status starting Jan. 7, which means heightened monitoring and coordination with other agencies.
An incident management team headed by the Manila City DRRM office will be activated on the ground to monitor the situation and manage incidents.
No-fly, sail zone
As an added security measure, the vicinity of Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park and the Quiapo Church are a no-fly and no sail-zone.
"Magsisimula 'yan sa January 7 at tatagal 'yan hanggang January 10 (This will start on January 7 and end on January 10)," Fajardo said.
A liquor ban will take effect starting Jan. 8 to 10 within a 500-meter radius of the Quirino Grandstand and Quiapo Church along with a gun ban in the City of Manila on the same dates.
The Traslacion will start from Quirino Grandstand, turn left to Katigbak Street; pass through Padre Burgos Street; and along Finance Road, and Palanca, Arlegui, Fraternal, Vergara, Duque de Alba, Castillejos, Farnecio, Nepomuceno, Concepcion Aguila, Carcer, Hidalgo, Bilibid Viejo, Gil Puyat, and J.P De Guzman Streets; under the Quezon Bridge; and Villalobos Street en route to Plaza Miranda right outside the church.
Road closures, traffic rerouting
Meanwhile, the city government has released a traffic advisory regarding road closures and rerouting of vehicles.
From Monday (Jan. 8) beginning 9 p.m. onward until Tuesday (Jan. 9), the following roads are closed to vehicles: stretch of Bonifacio Drive from Anda Circle to P. Burgos Ave.; Katigbak Drive and South Drive (one lane accessible to Manila Hotel and H20 Hotel); Roxas Blvd. from Katigbak to U.N. Ave.; P. Burgos from Roxas Blvd. to Jones, McArthur, and Quezon Bridge; Finance Rd. from P. Burgos Ave. to Taft Ave.; Ma. Orosa St. from TM. Kalaw to P. Burgos Ave;. Taft Ave. from U.N. Ave. to P. Burgos Ave.; Romualdez St. from U.N Ave. to Ayala Blvd.; Ayala Ave. from Taft Ave. to Romualdez St.; C. Palanca St. from P. Casal to Plaza Lacson; P. Casal St. from C. Palanca to Arlegui St.; Legarda St. from CM. Recto Ave. to Arlegui St.; Quezon Bivd. from Fugoso St to Quezon Bridge; and Westbound Lane España BIvd. from P. Campa to Lerma Street.
All vehicles traveling southbound of Mel Lopez Blvd. (R-10) going to Roxas Blvd. shall turn left to Capulong St., straight to Yuseco St. to Lacson Ave. to point of destination. (old truck route); those traveling southbound of Rizal Ave. intending to utilize McArthur Bridge going to south area shall turn left to CM. Recto Ave., left to Legarda St., to point of destination; vehicles traveling southbound of A. Mendoza St. going to Quezon BIvd. shall turn right to Fugoso St., to Rizal Ave., to point of destination.
Those traveling westbound lane of España Blvd. going to Quezon Blvd., shall turn left to N. Reyes St., to CM. Recto Ave., to point of destination and vehicles traveling southbound of J. Abad Santos Ave./R. Regente going to Intramuros Area., shall turn right to San Fernando St., left to Madrid St., left to Mulle. Dela Industria to Binondo-Intramuros Bridge to A. Soriano Ave. to point of destination or take Juan Luna St., right to Muelle Dela Industria to Binondo-Intramuros Bridge.
Vehicles coming from A. Mabini St. intending to use TM. Kalaw Ave. shall turn right to U.N. Ave., straight to P. Guanzon St. to Mabini Bridge to point of destination while those coming from Ma. Orosa St. intending to use TM. Kalaw Ave. shall turn right to U.N. Ave., straight to P. Guazon St. to Mabini Bridge to point of destination.
Those traveling northbound of Taft Ave. going to P. Burgos Ave., shall turn right to U.N. Ave., straight to P. Guanzon St. to Mabini Bridge to point of destination while light vehicles traveling northbound of Roxas Blvd. going to P. Burgos Ave. shall turn right to U.N. Ave., straight to P. Guanzon St. to Mabini Bridge to point of destination.
Trucks and trailers traveling northbound of Roxas Blvd. going to Mel Lopez Blvd. (Pier Area shall turn right to Pres. Quirino Ave., to Mabini Bridge to point of destination (old Truck Route); while those traveling northbound of Osmeña Highway going to Mel Lopez Blvd. (Pier Area) shall turn right to Pres Quirino Ave., to Mabini Bridge to point of destination. (With reports from Lloyd Caliwan and Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
