Around 15,000 police personnel will be deployed to secure the activities of the 2024 Black Nazarene feast which includes the traditional Traslacion, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday.
“Around 15,000 po,” PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo told GMA News Online in a message.
For the conduct of Traslacion or the procession of the Black Nazarene image from Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church, Fajardo said over 5,600 personnel will be initially deployed.
During the final inter-agency meeting for the feast, authorities and organizers said they are expecting the number of attendees to reach the pre-pandemic record of around 2 million, Fajardo said.
The route that will be used for Traslacion will be the same as the one used in 2020, according to Fajardo.
Police will implement some restrictions in controlled areas in front of Quiapo Church as well as the streets and roads surrounding the chapel.
Physical distancing will be imposed during masses due to the risk of communicable diseases, Fajardo also said.
On Wednesday, the Quiapo Church said it is considering reinstating old practices for the celebration of the Black Nazarene feast.
Quiapo Church spokesperson Father Hans Magdurulang said among these is encasing the image of the Black Nazarene in a glass case.
This is to protect the image of the Black Nazarene from possible damage while leaving a portion of the cross exposed for those who wish to touch it.
The Traslacion on January 9 is an annual procession that draws millions of Filipino devotees from all over the country. The traditional Traslacion was not held in the past three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
