At least 1,000 personnel of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will be deployed for an orderly, safe and peaceful Traslación 2020 of the Black Nazarene.
“Our action plan is already in place. Aside from manpower, ambulances, road emergency vehicles, traffic mobile cars, and other necessary equipment will also be dispatched,” said MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim, adding that the contingent is composed of personnel from Metro Public Safety Office (MPSO), Traffic Discipline Office, Metro Parkways Clearing Group and Sidewalk Clearing Operations Group.
The contingent, Lim said, is tasked to assist the police, concerned government agencies and local government of Manila in maintaining order during this year’s annual religious activity.
According to Lim, volunteers have also committed to help this year’s Traslación. They will be hand in hand with MPSO in rendering first-aid treatment to devotees and providing rescue and emergency response when needed.
Michael Salalima, concurrent chief of staff of the Office of the General Manager and Focal Person for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, said tents, plastic barriers and fences are now being set up at Quirino Grandstand in Manila City where several activities would happen.
These include the Pahalik or kissing of the Black Nazarene image, procession of Black Nazarene replicas, vigil and Eucharistic Celebration.
“We are now installing barriers for the traditional Pahalik as crowd control measure and help bring order during the queuing of devotees,” said Salalima.
Lim also ordered the clearing of the procession’s route of obstruction and debris for the safety of the devotees.
On January 9, several roads in Manila will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic for the procession. The route of the Traslacion will start at the Quirino Grandstand, Katigbak Road through Padre Burgos St., Finance Road through Ayala Boulevard, Palanca St., Quezon Boulevard, Arlegui St., Fraternal St., Vergara St., Duque de Alba St., Castillejos St., Farnecio St., Arlegui St., Nepomuceno St., Concepcion Aguila St., Carcer St., Hidalgo through Plaza del Carmen, Bilibid Viejo through Gil Puyat, JP De Guzman St., Hidalgo St., Quezon Boulevard, Palanca St. through under Quezon Bridge, Villalobos through Plaza Miranda and end in Quiapo Church.
Street sweepers and road-clearing group members will be positioned at the tail end of the procession to immediately clear roads of all types of trash and clutter.
Image credits: Alysa Salen
