Around 5,000 devotees congregated early Sunday morning to join the solemn procession for the Feast of Sto. Niño de Tondo in Tondo, Manila, according to the Manila Police District (MPD).
MPD director Police Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay said that no untoward incidents have been monitored in Tondo and in Pandacan which is also celebrating the Feast of Sto. Niño de Pandacan.
“Sa report ng ating dalawang station commanders sa Pandacan, lahat ng station commanders natin sa Tondo, walang naitalang insidente sa magdamag at simula kahapon noong magsimula ang mga activities natin dito sa piyesta ng Tondo at saka piyesta ng Pandacan,” he said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.
(Based on reports from our two station commanders, no incidents have been monitored since yesterday when our activities started for the feasts in Tondo and Pandacan.)
The feast is also observed in other areas of the country, like Kalibo, Aklan; and Cebu.
As of 6:55 a.m. Sunday, the image of Sto. Niño de Tondo had returned to the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of Santo Niño, based on a report of Mao dela Cruz on Super Radyo dzBB.
The procession lasted for almost three hours as it passed through streets within the parish area.
In Pandacan, some 18,000 to 20,000 people went to watch the Buling-Buling Festival on Saturday, Ibay said.
The MPD director said they deployed enough personnel to ensure the security in both areas in the City of Manila.
He also advised people who are celebrating the feast to drink moderately so as to avoid accidents.
“Pakiusap din natin sa ating mga kababayan na mami-miyesta at magsasaya na ‘yung sapat lang. ‘Wag sosobrahan ang pag-inom at ilagay sa tiyan. Mag-iwan tayo ng pang-uwi kung sakali naman po tayo ay dumayo. Do’n naman sa mga kababayan natin diyan sa Pandacan at Tondo, ‘wag isagad dahil kinabukasan sigurado meron po tayong pasok,” Ibay added.
(We advise those who are going here to join the feast to celebrate moderately. Don’t drink too much especially if you will go home somewhere far away. To the residents of Pandacan and Tondo, do the same also because for sure, you have work tomorrow.)
The first image of the Sto. Niño (Child Jesus) arrived in 1564 in the Philippines from Natividad, Mexico.
The annual procession began in 1572 featuring several images of the Sto. Niño.
The feast of Sto. Niño de Tondo is held every third Sunday of January. —KG, GMA Integrated News
