Despite projected 4 a.m. finish, ‘traslacion’ 2016 ‘fastest in 5 years’

Tens of thousands of Catholic devotees jostle to get closer to the image of the Black Nazarene as they take part in a raucous procession to celebrate its feast day in Manila on Jan. 9. AP

The number of devotees tailing the Black Nazarene icon has decreased as the traslacion advances, but church organizers have said the grand procession is projected to go back to Quiapo Church at early Sunday morning based on mathematics alone.

As of 4 p.m. on Saturday, the Quiapo command center said the crowd estimate on the procession was set at 1,035,000, while devotees near the church vicinity thickened at 300,000.

Command center operations head Bong Grajo said the procession was moving at 322 meters per hour and estimated to return to Quiapo at about 4 a.m., a 12-hour run.

But Grajo said the projection was based on “straight mathematics,” noting variables such as size of roads would affect the procession’s phase.

Grajo said the andas was expected to move faster in narrower streets as less people would attempt to get near or climb the carriage.

In fact, he said this year’s traslacion was the fastest in the past five years.

Grajo said he personally expected the procession to be finished by midnight.

”This is one of the fastest Quiapo fiestas that I have experienced … People are more cooperative. This is a result of everyone’s cooperation,” he said.

Grajo said past preparations from previous events such as the papal visit last year contributed to improvements both in management and technology.

Fr. Clemente Ignacio cited “better coordination and much better facilities” as factors in the procession’s supposedly faster phase.

Quiapo Rector Msgr. Hernando Coronel said effective partnership between church and government agencies resulted in a more organized feast this year.

“We are always constantly learning. There are improvements. We try to do our service a little bit better a year after year. We are always doing our best,” Coronel said.

“It’s not just one sector, the whole of society approach,” he added.