Over 6 million expected to flock to Black Nazarene Feast

At least six million Catholic devotees are expected to flock to the feast of the Black Nazarene on Sunday, Manila Police District head Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla said Thursday.

"Mahigit 6 milyon po ang expected. Tulad po ng mga nakaraang panahon, talaga pong dinadagsa itong ating prusisyon at piyesta ng mahal na Nazareno (More than 6 million are expected. Just like in the past, many devotees flock to the procession and the feast of the Black Nazarene)," Rongavilla said in an interview over radio DZBB.

The MPD chief said that the devotees of the Black Nazarene are expected to join the festivities beginning January 8, when a Mass and a vigil will be conducted at the Rizal Park. 

The procession to Quiapo will begin at 8 a.m. on January 9, Sunday, he said.

Procession route

According to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, Sunday's procession will take the following route:


View Black Nazarene Feast Map 2011 in a larger map

- from the Quirno Granstand (Rizal Park), it will turn left the Katigbak Drive thru Padre Burgos;
- left at Taft Avenue thru McArthur Bridge
- right at Palanca St. thru Quezon Bridge
- left at Quezon Blvd. 
- right at Arlegui St.
- right at Fraternal St.
- right at Vergara St. 
- left at Duque de Alba St.
- left at Castillejos St.
- left at Farnecio St.
- right at Arlequi St.
- left at Nepomuceno St.
- left at Aguila St.
- right at Carcer St.
- right at Hidalgo St. thru Plaza del Carmen
- left at Bilibid Viejo thru Puyat St.
- left at Guzman St.
- right at Hidalgo St.
- left at Barbosa St.
- right at Globo de Oro St. thru Quezon Bridge;
- right at Palanca St.
- right at Villalobos St. thru Plaza Miranda and to Quiapo Church

On the other hand, the procession of replicas of the Black Nazarene on Friday will take the following route:


View Replica Route Map 2011 in a larger map

- from Plaza Miranda, it will turn left at Quezon Blvd.
- right at Rec to Ave.
- right at Loyola St.
- right at Bilibid Viejo thru Ouyat St.
- left at Guizman St. (Mendoza St.)
- right at Hidalgo St.
- left at Barbosa St.
- right at Globo de Oro St.
- right at Palanca St.
- right at Villalobos St. thru Plaza Miranda

Rerouting

Manila traffic enforcement unit head Police Chief Inspector Reynaldo Nava warned that commuters and motorists passing through the procession route should expect heavy traffic.

"Expected talaga yun, more than 6 million ang dadagsa (That should be expected because more than six million are expected to flock to the feast)," he told GMANews.TV in a phone interview on Thursday.

According to the MPD Traffic Enforcement Unit (MTEU), among the affected areas during the procession where heavy traffic should be expected are:

- the stretch of Roxas Blvd./Bonifacio Drive from Anda Circle to TM Kalaw north and southbound lane
- southbound of Quezon Blvd. from C.M. Recto to Palanca (subway-Isetan Recto)
- stretch of Lerma from P. Campa to Quezon Blvd.
- westbound lane of Taft Ave./Finance
- westbound lane of Lagusnilad/P. Burgos
- Freedom Triangle-northbound lane of P. Burgos/Taft Ave.
- Villegas/N.A. Lopez
- southbound of 25th St./Bonifacio Drive 

The MTEU also said that at around 5 a.m. onwards on Sunday, the southbound of Quezon Blvd. (Quiapo) from Andalucia/Fugoso to Plaza Miranda, stretch of Lerma from P. Campa to Quezon Blvd. (westbound) and the route of the procession shall be closed to all types of vehicles.

To help ease the traffic on Sunday, Nava said they have formulated a new rerouting scheme. He said the scheme will be implemented by 197 personnel from the Philippine National Police, 100 personnel from the Manila Traffic Bureau, and another 70 from the Metro Manila Development Authority.

"Pag nasa south ang imahe, papupuntahin namin sila sa north. Pag nasa north, papupuntahin namin lahat sa south. Makakatulong talaga yan (If the image is in the south lane, we will lead motorists to the north lane. If the image is in the north lane, we will lead the motorists to the south late. That will definitely help traffic)," he said.

The rerouting scheme will be as follows:

all vehicles coming from Quezon City using the stretch of España shall turn right at P. Campa, left at Andalucia, right at Fugoso, left at T. Mapua to their point of destination;

all PUJs and other light vehicles coming from España intended to proceed to the South Pier Zone shall turn left at Nicanor Reyes, right at Recto, straight to JAS, left at Reina Regente, take Jones Bridge, right at Magallanes Drive to their point of destination;

all vehicles coming from northern Manila intending to utilize the stretch of Bonifacio Drive southbound shall turn right at Roberto S. Oca St., left at Delgado, left at Bonifacio Drive (for Port Area offices) or shall take a right to A. Soriano to Magallanes Drive, right at P. Burgos, and straight to Lagusniland to Taft Avenue;

all vehicles coming from the southern part of Manila intending to utilize the stretch of P. Burgos shall take T.M. Kalaw, turn left at Taft Ave., right at A. Villegas, right at Quezon Bridge, to their point of destination;

all vehicles from the southern part of Manila intending to utilize the northbound of Roxas Blvd. from P. Ocampo to P. Burgos shall turn right at T.M. Kalaw, turn left to Taft Avenue to their point of destination;

all PUJs plying the Monumento-Gasak-Recto route intending to utilize Andalucia thru Recto should turn right at Fugoso, right at Oroquieta to their point of origin;

all vehicles coming from Legarda shall turn right at Recto or left at Mendiola to their point of destination;

all vehicles using Taft Avenue northbound shall turn right at A. Villegas (Arroceros), right at Quezon Bridge to their point of destination;

all heavy vehicles/cargo trucks coming from the south shall take Pres. Osmena, right at Pres. Quirino to Nagtahan via A.H. Lacson to Capulong and vice versa;

all motorists intending to proceed to the north or south of Manila shall be advised to utilize the stretch of Lacson to Nagtahan or Road 10 to Roxas Blvd.to their point of destination and vice versa;

all buses coming from eastern Manila particularly G-Liner and RRCG buses utilizing Legarda after Ayala Bridge shall turn right at N.A. Lopez, left at San Marcelino, left at Ayala Blvd., to their point of origin;

all buses from Taft Avenue going to Fairview shall turn right at UN Avenue up to Otis, turn left at Nagtahan, go straight to Lacson, right at Espana to their point of destination;

all buses coming from southern Manila utilizing Taft Avenue are not allowed from entering the area from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. They shall only be allowed traverse up to Pres. Quirino and Remedios St. as their turning point

Nava said he expects traffic to ease by around 12 noon on Sunday, when the procession has already finished.

All set for Sunday




In an interview aired over GMA’s Unang Hirit, Station 3 commander Chief Inspector James Afalla said the entire police force is prepared for Sunday’s procession.

"Plantsadong-plantsado na po (Everything is all set)," he said.

He likewise expressed confidence that the 1,000 policemen and 300 marshals who will be deployed on that day are enough for the occasion.

"Nakikipag-ugnayan din po tayo sa iba't-ibang organisasyon, sa mga volunteers natin (Everything is all set. We're also coordinating with different organizations and volunteers)," he said.

Afalla said they have also asked vendors not to clutter the streets during the procession. "Nakikisama naman po sila (They are cooperative)," he said.

He also asked the public to respect the feast so that Sunday's procession will push through without any trouble.

"Ito po ay devotion na sagrado po, at kami po ay nanawagan sa lahat ng devotee at sa lahat na rin ng makikipartisipisyo sa prosesyon na sana ay maghinay-hinay po tayo at magkaroon po ng isang taimtim na pangalangin para sa Poong Nazareno (This is a sacred devotion. So we're asking all the devotees and everyone who will participate in the procession to take it easy and offer a solemn prayer to the Black Nazarene)," he said. - KBK/LBG, GMANews.TV