MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will be deploying 850 of its personnel to help police keep the 2019 Traslacion of the Black Nazarene peaceful and orderly.
MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim said that the 850 personnel will be positioned at the vicinity of the Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park, at the Quiapo Church, and along the route of the procession on Jan. 9.
Lim said that from Jan. 6 to Jan. 8, the MMDA will be fielding 350 personnel for the annual procession of Black Nazarene image replicas and the traditional “Pahalik” (kissing of the image) at the Quirino Grandstand which is expected to draw the attendance of millions of devotees.
According to Lim, the MMDA personnel to be deployed will be drawn from the different units of the agency and are tasked to help the both the police and the local government of Manila maintain order during the Traslacion.
The MMDA’s Western Traffic Enforcement Division is in charge of traffic management on the procession’s route and on the alternate routes. The Road Safety Unit is tasked to install traffic cones and barriers at the Rizal Park and along the procession’s route.
Meanwhile, the agency’s Sidewalk Clearing Group will be deploying personnel to support crowd control measures during the “Pahalik” at the Quirino Grandstand.
The MMDA’s Metro Parkway Clearing Group meanwhile will clear the procession’s route of obstruction, garbage and debris for the safety of devotees.
Emergency and medical assistance will also be given by the MMDA’s Road Emergency Group and Public Safety Division with the MMDA’s Metrobase to coordinate all communication between the deployed units.
The MMDA has also placed all ferries of the Pasig River Ferry Service on standby for use at the Jones Bridge.
More than 7,000 police personnel will also be deployed to secure the key areas in Manila during the Traslacion. /muf
READ: NCRPO: 7,200 cops to secure Traslacion 2019