No major crime was recorded during the historic 31-hour Traslacion 2026 procession, as police successfully secured one of the country’s largest and longest religious events, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) reported Sunday.
NCRPO Regional Director Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin described Traslacion 2026 as generally peaceful and well-controlled, crediting disciplined police work and close coordination among agencies despite the event’s scale and duration.
The procession ended at 10:50 a.m. on January 10, when the Andas or carriage of the Black Nazarene finally entered Quiapo Church after 30 hours, 50 minutes, and 1 second of continuous movement—extended largely due to heavy crowd pressure along the route.
However, two devotees died during this year’s Traslacion, marking the annual Feast of the Black Nazarene. Another person, a photojournalist for a local tabloid, died of a heart attack while covering the event.
Medical teams responded to more than 1,000 cases, mostly involving exhaustion and minor injuries. All were treated on-site by medical and Department of Health teams.
Security preparations began days earlier, on January 7, with the NCRPO and allied law-enforcement workers deploying personnel to key areas in anticipation of the massive turnout.
At the height of operations, nearly 19,000 personnel were on the ground across Metro Manila, including regular police, specialized units, and personnel from partner agencies, the regional police office said.
An estimated 2.78 million devotees joined the Traslacion, with most lining the 5.8-kilometer route and others gathered in and around Quiapo Church.
Crowd density was especially heavy along ZP de Guzman Street, F.R. Hidalgo Street, and Quezon Boulevard, prompting constant adjustments by police to keep the procession moving safely.
Major media outlets closely followed the procession, noting its unprecedented length, the sheer number of devotees, and the sustained presence of police and emergency responders.
The NCRPO thanked devotees, church organizers, government partners, volunteers, and the media for their cooperation, saying the successful Traslacion showed the police force’s readiness to handle large, high-density religious events.
