MMDA to deploy 1,300 personnel for Feast of Black Nazarene

FILE: The agency will assist the Manila City local government unit in ensuring crowd control, providing first aid measures and clearing operations of the routes where image of the Black Nazarene will pass through.(Photo by Marc Reil Gepaya/Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0)

MANILA — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will deploy around 1,300 personnel starting January 5 for this year’s Feast of the Black Nazarene.

The agency will assist the Manila City local government unit in ensuring crowd control, providing first aid measures and clearing operations of the routes where image of the Black Nazarene will pass through.

The Road Emergency Group will install tents at the Quirino Grandstand to provide medical assistance for the devotees who will participate in the annual ‘Pahalik’ and Black Nazarene procession.

Around 400 personnel of the MMDA will help the Manila Police District in ensuring crowd control during the procession.The Sidewalk Clearing Operations Group and Metro Parkway Clearing Group will be cleaning up the debris left behind after the procession.

MMDA expects million of devotees from various parts of the country to participate in the annual ‘Traslacion’.

“We are advising devotees from the provinces to come at an earlier time,” MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago said in a TV interview Thursday.

The ‘Pahalik’ of the Black Nazarene will start on January 8 while a midnight Holy Eucharistic Mass will be celebrated on January 9 to be by Quiapo Church rector Msgr.

Hernando Coronel while Archbishop of Manila Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle will give his homily.

The ‘Traslacion’ will start after the morning prayer at 5 a.m. which will start from Rizal Park to Quiapo Church.According to an advisory from the Manila District Traffic Enforcement Unit, the following roads will be closed on January 8 and 9:

January 8, 2018 – 10 p.m.

Katigbak Drive and South Drive (one lane -accessible to Manila and H2O Hotel) Northbound lane of Quezon and Mc Arthur Bridge from Bonifacio Shrine onwards. Taft Avenue from Ayala Boulevard to Bonifacio Shrine.

January 9, 2018 – 12 a.m.:

Stretch of Mc Arthur, Jones and Quezon Bridge Roxas Boulevard from Katigbak Drive to T.M. Kalaw Street.

Both lanes of Quezon Boulevard (Quiapo) will be closed to traffic from A. Mendoza/Fugoso Street and Espana Avenue/P.Campa Street for southbound and from Taft Avenue/Ayala Boulevard for northbound.

Organizers have likewise designated 12 prayer stations wherein communal prayers would be recited as the carriage of Black Nazarene or andas approaches. There would also be incense and holy water blessing and singing once the andas passes in every station.

 (PNA)