Nazarene traffic aides to be issued adult diapers

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is all set for the annual translacion or the procession of the image of the Black Nazarene tomorrow – from making use of closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) to equipping traffic enforcers with adult diapers.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said diapers would be distributed to some 2,000 traffic enforcers and street clearing personnel.

He said the portalets could not accommodate everyone during the Nazarene feast as each unit’s capacity is limited to only one drum.

By using adult diapers, deployed enforcers would no longer need to abandon their posts, Tolentino said.

He also said that should the use of adult diapers prove successful during this year’s procession, enforcers tasked to manage traffic during the papal visit would also be made to wear them.

“This was intended to be a dry run for the papal visit as it might take about an hour for deployed personnel who would queue at portalets to return to their posts,” he said.

“If the MMDA personnel would attend to their personal necessities all at once, no one would be left at their posts,” he said.

Tolentino said the agency’s deployed personnel would be composed of teams from the Traffic Discipline Office, Rescue Group and Metro Parkway Clearing Group.

He said the teams would be positioned in various areas from Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church starting at 8 a.m. today.

As well, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) expressed readiness to secure the procession of the Black Nazarene on Friday.

NCRPO chief Director Carmelo Valmoria said the deployment of uniformed policemen would start today as the Church prepared a series of activities on the eve of the procession.

“We will be deploying policemen at the Quirino Grandstand and along the routes of the procession starting today (Thursday),” said Valmoria. “What I can say is that we at the NCRPO are now prepared for the big event.”

The NCRPO chief said they are fully coordinating with the church leadership to ensure the peaceful and orderly procession, which is expected to attract tens of thousands of devotees.

He said they have received so far no reports of threats to sabotage the event.

Valmoria named Senior Superintendent Jiggs Coronel, deputy chief for operations of the Manila Police District (MPD), as the head of Task Group Nazarene to oversee security of the event.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), meanwhile, said that they would be deploying eight rubber and aluminum boat teams and divers to secure the back of Quirino Grandstand and the nearby Jones, MacArthur and Quezon bridges.

“Our preparation is a prelude for the coming of Pope Francis. This will be our dry run. We would replicate this during the papal visit, but then of course we would be utilizing more assets during the papal visit,” PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said.

No change in procession route despite fire

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) sent structural engineers yesterday to check on an old building along Escolta, which caught fire early yesterday.

DPWH Undersecretary for Technical Services Raul Asis said that Secretary Rogelio Singson ordered that structural engineers be sent to inspect the old Philippine National Bank (PNB) building along Escolta street in Sta. Cruz, Manila to see of it would cause safety problems for devotees of the Black Nazarene who are expected to pass through on Friday.

As of press time, Asis said he has not yet received any feedback from their engineers.

“Our engineers went there to see if there is a need to cordon off the area. We would still have to assess if there is any danger. It seems that the building would not collapse but there might be falling debris. Let us see up to what extent the area along Escolta should be cordoned off,” he said.

The DPWH official also said that it is not likely that the procession route would change because of the fire.

“Chances are they (engineers) might only close off the front portion of the building,” Asis said, adding that this is not yet final since they are still waiting for the outcome of the inspection report.

Asis said that if they would indeed need to close off the frontage of the old PNB building to avoid accidents like falling debris, they would still have “enough time to do that.”

‘A spiritual preparation’

Quiapo Church rector Monsignor Jose Clemente Ignacio said that the procession for the Black Nazarene would serve as a spiritual preparation for Pope Francis’ pastoral and state visit on Jan. 15 to 19.

In an interview over Radio Veritas, Ignacio said “this is an opportunity to return to God, to confess, to pray and to offer sacraments.”

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo also said that the Catholic faithful should be reminded to observe discipline, keeping in mind the sacredness of the feast.

“With the papal visit nearing, let’s also take the Quiapo fiesta as an opportunity to show to the Holy Father that Filipinos have discipline in terms of their devotion,” Pabillo told Radio Veritas.

“I call on all Nazareno devotees to take to heart and live out the true meaning of what it means to be devoted… that is, prayer, sacrifice, penance, self-giving,” he added.

The Black Nazarene would be brought anytime today to the Quirino Grandstand where devotees would gather and pray for blessings.

The procession is expected to start early Friday, and Valmoria is hoping that it would be a smooth process, unlike two years ago when it took 22 hours for the image to reach final destination, the Quiapo Church. – Non Alquitran, Evelyn Macairan