In this photo taken during the 2019 Traslacion, a massive crowd of Filipino Roman Catholic devotees follows the carriage of the Black Nazarene during a raucous procession to celebrate its feast day, January 9, in Manila, Philippines. Tens of thousands of mostly barefoot Filipino Catholics would join the annual procession of a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ to celebrate the Feast of the Black Nazarene that usually ends before dawn the next day. (AP File Photo/Bullit Marquez)
MANILA, Philippines — The disaster and emergency response units of the Metro Manila Disaster, Risk Reduction and Management Council (MMDRRMC) were placed on “blue alert” status to ensure the safety of devotees who will be joining the Traslacion or procession of the Black Nazarene image on January 9.
In a statement released Tuesday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Danilo Lim, who is also the concurrent chair of the MMDRRMC, ordered the activation of the blue alert status from Monday, Jan. 6, to Friday, Jan. 10.
“Under blue alert, all response clusters and members of the MMDRRMC are placed on standby to respond to any disaster and emergency that may arise during the observance of the annual religious activity, particularly during the highlight of the feast, the Traslacion,” Michael Salalima, chief of staff of the MMDA general manager, said in the statement.
The MMDRRMC is composed of the concerned national government agencies and local risk reduction councils of the 16 cities in Metro Manila and the lone Municipality of Pateros.
Lim previously said that 1,000 MMDA personnel and volunteers will be deployed for the Traslacion set for Thursday.
The personnel to be deployed will be composed of members of the Metro Public Safety Office (MPSO), Traffic Discipline Office, Metro Parkways Clearing Group, and Sidewalk Clearing Operations Group.
Those deployed will help the police, concerned government agencies, and the Manila local government to maintain peace and order throughout the procession, Lim said.