MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada on Tuesday vowed to enforce sufficient security measures during the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo this Saturday where more than 13-million people are expected to participate.
“I believe our main role and priority here is to keep peace and order, to ensure the safety of all the people in the procession, ensure that there will be no obstruction, and to maintain cleanliness of all roads where the procession will pass,” he said.
Estrada tapped Johnny Yu, head of the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, to lead major functions for the occasion, especially on crowd control and management.
He also ordered the installation of eight command stations and 33 medical and first aid centers manned by officials and other personnel who were trained and equipped for their functions.
Yu, for his part, said some 600 sanitation volunteers are also being mobilized to be complemented by the thousands who were tasked by the Quiapo Church to serve as marshals and for other volunteer functions for the occasion.
“The mayor has constantly been checking on the details of the preparations for this special occasion, especially as we expect around 13 to 15-million people that will participate in the feast,” he said.
The city government appealed to the people to cooperate in the procedures prepared and to be implemented by the authorities for the feast, especially in maintaining peace, order and cleanliness in the routes and vicinity of the occasion.
Meanwhile, the Metro Manila Development Authority released its traffic re-routing plan to be implemented for the annual procession of the Black Nazarene.
The procession will start from the Quirino Grandstand at the Luneta Park from 7 a.m. onwards on Saturday.
Lawyer Crisanto Saruca, MMDA traffic discipline chief, said his men will be deployed near the Quiapo area in Manila to manage vehicular flow during the procession. He added 75 percent of the total number or 315 traffic enforcers will be fielded as early as Thursday for the procession of the replicas of the Black Nazarene.
The procession of replicas will start at 2 p.m. Thursday from Plaza Miranda near the Quiapo Church.
The Nazarene replicas will pass through Quezon Boulevard, Recto Avenue, Loyola Street, Puyat Street, Guzman Street, Hidalgo Street, Barbosa Street, Globo de Oro Street, Palanca Street and Villabos Street.
Based on the program, the procession back from the Quirino Grandstand will begin 8 a.m. on Friday while the vigil will start at 7 p.m. until midnight, Saruca said.
On Saturday, all vehicles from the northern part of Manila using Bonifacio Drive should turn to Roberto Oca Street left to Delgado Street and turn to Bonifacio Drive, right to Soriano Avenue and turn Magallanes Drive, right to Padre Burgos Street straight to Lagusnilad to Taft Avenue.
All heavy vehicles and cargo trucks coming from southern Metro Manila should take Osmeña Drive and Quirino Avenue to Nagtahan Street.
Motorists going to Manila are advised to use Lacson Street to Nagtahan or the stretch of Road 10 to Roxas Boulevard to avoid traffic congestion while those coming from Quezon City through España Boulevard should turn right to P. Campa Street left to Andalucia Street, right to Fugoso and left to T. Mapua Street to point of destination.
Vehicles going to Port Area should turn left to Nicanor Reyes Street, right to Recto, left to Reina Regente Street and straight to Jones Bridge to point of destination.
While those coming from Divisoria using Recto Avenue should turn left to T. Alonzo Street right to Fugoso Street and turn to Andalucia Street to their destination.
