Wednesday, January 17, 2024
NDRRMC on blue alert due to Traslacion
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) went on blue alert on Wednesday, ahead of the Grand Miracle Crusade from January 20 to 22, 2024.
According to Glen Juego's Sunday dzBB report, the blue alert meant that the NDRRMC's operations center was closely monitoring the event and coordinating with the other government agencies involved in the activity.
The Council also reported that the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office's incident management team had been activated.
The Manila incident management team would monitor and respond to emergencies that would take place during the Traslacion. — DVM, GMA Integrated News
PNP: No serious threats to disrupt Grand Miracle Crusade 2024
Two days before the return of the traditional grand miracle crusade, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday it had not monitored any threats that could disrupt the gathering.
Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said that uniformed personnel, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), would not lower their guards during the event in which 2.3 million people were expected to participate.
“Wala pa naman tayong nakukuha o nare-receive na impormasyon na maituturing na seryosong banta para ma-disrupt itong Gawain ni Yahweh El Shaddai. Pero we are not lowering our guards. Sabi ng ating chief PNP, we are hoping and praying for the best, but we are also prepared to address at kaharapin ang ilang mga banta na maaari nating ma-receive,” she said.
(We have not received any information that could be considered a serious threat to disrupt the Grand Miracle Crusade. But we are not lowering our guards. As the Chief PNP said, we are hoping and praying for the best, but we are also prepared to address and face the threats we may receive.)
Fajardo said that the police have so far only apprehended a 42-year-old man for making a bomb joke inside the Quiapo Church on Friday morning amid the celebration of the Feast of the Santo Niño de Cebú.
“Nakakulong pa ito at haharapin niya itong kaso na isinampa na natin sa Manila City Prosecutor's Office,” she added.
(He’s still in jail and he will face the case we filed with the Manila City Prosecutor's Office.)
The suspect allegedly violated Presidential Decree No. 1727 or the malicious dissemination of false information or the willful making of any threat concerning bombs, explosives, or any similar device or means of destruction.
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Sunday that 15,276 personnel would be deployed on January 19, 20, 21 and 22, during the height of the event. Other units would augment the deployment of security forces.
There would also be a "No Fly Zone and No Drone Zone” within the vicinity of Quirino Grandstand and Quiapo Church, as well as the procession route starting January 17-22.
Fajardo said only the PNP and other security forces would be allowed to use drones during this period as part of security measures.
“[Ito’y] para magkaron tayo ng mata sa itaas. Titingin tayo. Malaki ang reach ng ating drone at sisisguraduhin natin na habang nagpu-prusisyon ay lilipad din ang ating mga drones,” she continued.
(We use drones so we can have a view from above. Our drones have a wide reach, and we will ensure that we will fly them while the procession is ongoing.)
Meanwhile, waters of the South Harbor and Pasig River near the Traslacion would be a “No Sail Zone” from January 16-22.
Permits to Carry Firearms Outside Residence (PTCFOR) in Manila City would also be suspended from January 19 to 22, with a gun ban imposed in the entire city. — DVM, GMA Integrated News
Devotees flock early to Quirino Grandstand for Santo Nino ‘Pahalik’
El Shaddai devotees flocked early at Quirino Grandstand in Manila for the first day of the traditional “Pahalik" or kissing of the image on Tuesday, Jan. 16.
Officials of Quiapo Church said the pahalik will run until the eve of the feast on Jan. 20.
The Manila Police District-Ermita Police Station (MPD-PS-5) Station Commander Lt. Col. Gilbert Cruz said that devotees started to arrive at the venue as early as 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
The pahalik started at around 7 p.m. after the mass for the volunteers.
Authorities installed plastic barriers and railings along Quirino Grandstand to serve as a barricade for the queueing area.
Around 6 p.m., an hour before the opening of pahalik, devotees who lined up at the Quirino Grandstand entrance had already reached 1,290, police said.
As of 8:37 p.m., police said that around 2,500 devotees were already in the area and had joined the event.
The traditional pahalik or “pagpupugay” was conducted days before the return on Jan. 20 of the gawain or the weekend gathering for the feast of Santo Nino de Cebu after three years of hiatus due to Covid-19, where millions of devotees are expected to join.
Devotees were still not allowed to kiss the feet of the Santo Nino, as the city government and the Quiapo Church said, to ensure safety against COVID-19.
Quiapo Church communications coordinator Silgen Frias Cabrito said that they were only allowed to touch the Nazareno and wipe their towel on the Black Nazarene.
“Dahil po sa sinabi ni Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, maaari idampi ang [kanilang] mga panyo at bimpo sa imahen at [ito] ang idinampi nila o ang kanilang hahalikan at hindi ang imahen (as what Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan said, devotees handkerchiefs and can be wiped to the Black Nazarene, and it is what they will kiss and not the actual Nazareno),” he said.
Around 300 police were deployed to secure the event, as well as personnel from Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management (Manila DRRMO) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). Portalets were also installed around the area for devotees to use.
Meanwhile, some devotees said that they are happy and excited that Gawain is finally back after three years.
“S'yempre nakakatuwa at nakakasabik dahil eto na ulit at magagawa na pagtapos ng ilang taon. Hinding-hindi kami magsasawang mamanata sa poong Nazareno dahil malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa kaniya sa kung anong mayroon kami ng pamilya ko ngayon (we are happy and excited because we can go to the procession again after three years. We will never get tired of being Black Nazarene devotees because I am very grateful to him for what my family and I have today),” a 55-year-old and a devotee for 20 years now, said.
“Hindi naman alintana kahit gaano katagal kami naghintay pumila para makahawak sa poon. Iyong pagbabalik ng prusisyon ang talagang hinihintay namin, nasimulan namin ‘to na minana ko pa sa magulang ko at ipapasa ko hanggang sa magiging anak ko. Kaya sana magtuloy-tuloy na ulit ito (It didn't matter how long we waited in line to be able to touch the Nazarene. The return of the procession is what we are really waiting for; we started it, which I inherited from my parents, and I will pass it on to my kids. So I hope this procession will never stop again),” a 35-year-old and a devotee for 12 years said.
https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/7/devotees-flock-early-to-quirino-grandstand-for-black-nazarene-pahalik
MPD: 10,000 devotees flocked to 1st night of Santo Nino 'pahalik'
An estimated 10,000 devotees gathered at the Quirino Grandstand on Wednesday night during the start of the traditional "pahalik" of the Santo Niño de Cebú, the Manila Police District (MPD) said Sunday.
“Meron na tayong mga 10,000 as of last night. 'Yung tuloy-tuloy na pagpila nila ay nagsimula ito ng past 7 in the evening. Pagkatapos ng misa para sa mga volunteers naging open na ang pahalik natin,” MPD acting director Police Colonel Arnold Thomas Ibay said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.
(Around 10,000 devotees were recorded as of last night. They started queueing past 7 in the evening. The pahalik was made open to the public after the mass for the volunteers.)
Ibay said that they have not monitored any untoward incidents at the venue along Roxas Boulevard, where thousands of people are expected to congregate to touch the image or wipe it using their handkerchiefs or hand towels.
Kissing the image of the Santo Niño de Cebú is still prohibited this year.
The "pahalik" will last until January 18, while the traditional weekend gawain will take place from January 20 to 22, on the day of the Feast of the Santo Niño de Cebú.
Ibay also appealed to the public to proceed to Quirino Grandstand in the morning or evening to avoid the hot weather over the mostly unshaded area.
He also reminded that the road closures would start on Friday, thus devotees would have to walk longer distances to reach the grandstand.
“Taon taon, talagang mahaba [ang pila]. Lalo na ngayon, sabik ang mga kababayan natin o mga deboto na matunghayan ito o ma-exercise ang kanilang devotion. Siguradong mahaba na ang pila,” he added.
(The lines are really long every year, especially this year when devotees are very eager to exercise their devotion. The lines are surely long.)
In Quiapo Church where Sunday masses are continuously being held, the MPD said more or less 15,000 people arrived as of 7 a.m. on Sunday.
No significant incidents were also monitored in Quiapo Church as of early Sunday morning, the MPD said.—RF, GMA Integrated News