投稿者: Manila Shimbun

Procession of Black Nazarene starts at 4:15 am, draws hundreds of thousands `

/ Manila Shimbun

The procession of the Black Nazarene, which drew hundreds, started earlier than scheduled on Thursday.

The annual Traslacion started around 4:15 am, earlier than their 5:30 am scheduled.

The image of the Black Nazarene was able to move at a fast paced from Quirino Grandstand reaching the Ayala Bridge around 7:20 am.

For this year, the 6.16-kilometer procession route is shorter compared to previous years where the Andas (carriage) goes to Jones Bridge.

According to Manila City’s Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), as of 7:30 am, around 200,000 devotees joined in celebrating the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

Some devotees find the procession faster than the usual however, the movement slowed down upon reaching the Carlos Palanca street around 8am as police securing the carriage stop providing assistance.

This is due to the request of the church organizers to allow devotees to still conduct their usual tradition of climbing the carriage and pulling the rope.

Based on the record of the Philippine Red Cross, they catered a total of 328 individuals since January 8 where 301 were provided of blood pressure consultation while 21 patients due to minor injuries.

“Three individuals were given medical attention due to major cases (fainting) and transported two patients to the nearest medical center due to hypertension and avulsion,” PRC said in their twitter account.

A devotee was also arrested for bringing a bladed weapon at Quiapo Bridge.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the situation  is peaceful with no untoward incidents reported.

Around 13,000 police personnel were deployed to secure the annual tradition.  Ella Dionisio/DMS

BI braces for possible influx of Pinoys from ME

/ Manila Shimbun

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is bracing for the possible influx of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the Middle East who might be evacuated if the current conflict between the United States and Iran.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said he has ordered all BI personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and other international ports to prepare and be ready for any eventuality should the conflict escalate further.

“I have directed our port operations division to see to it that adequate manpower is available to address a possible upsurge in the number of passengers arriving from the Middle East,” Morente said.

He added that if needed, the BI is ready to deploy additional men at the airports by enlisting the services of and temporarily reassigning to the NAIA immigration officers currently stationed in other ports and offices of the bureau.

Said order was given following the Department of Foreign Affairs advisory raising to Alert Level 4 the alert level for Filipinos in the whole of Iraq, as well as issuing an advisory to Filipinos in Iran, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia to remain vigilant of potential security threats and to stay in close coordination with the Philippine Embassy.

In compliance with Morente’s directive, BI port operations division chief Grifton Medina issued a memorandum advising all BI airport personnel to prepare for a possible mass repatriation of Filipinos from the Middle East.

Medina instructed airport heads to ensure that all terminals are fully manned to ensure the smooth processing of possible repatriates.