Manila vows orderly Sto. Niño Feast

thousands of street dancers donning colorful costumes will spice up the Feast of the Sto. niño today and tomorrow in tondo and Pandacan, the city government of Manila yesterday said.

after Covid restrictions dampened the feast of the child Jesus in the past two years, this year’s celebrations will be special, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna and city tourism officials told reporters.

the festivities will be covered and beamed live by the city government via its Facebook page to entice foreign and local tourists to visit historic Manila’s many attractions.

Lacuna urged Filipinos to reconnect with the past during the festivities that will be highlighted by some of the dancers wearing traditional costumes. the Feast of the Sto. niño follows the Feast of the Black nazarene held every 9th of January.

City tourism chief Charlie Dungo and public information head Princess abante said the street dancing will include the ati-atihan in tondo and the religious and cultural dance Buling Buling in Pandacan.

Some roads will be closed as they will be used by the street dancing participants and spectators.

tondo police chief P/Lt. Col. rosalino ibay Jr. said that over 100 cops will ensure peace and order in his areas of responsibility under a kulambo or mosquito net security.

the policemen will be issued two-way radios and will have access to motorcycles so they can respond en masse to any trouble.

“We will deploy 60 cops from raxabago and 50 more from the headquarters serving as an augmentation force in order to ensure there will be zero trouble during the two-day celebration,” ibay said.

at least five patrol cars shall be deployed, he added.

on thursday night, ibay and his men rounded up violators of City ordnance 555 prohibiting drinking of intoxicating liquor in public places.

in all, 15 were apprehended for public drunkenness, five for going shirtless outside their homes, and 16 minors for various violations like disregarding curfew hours.

Lacuna has imposed a liquor ban during the two-day festivities.

P/Lt. Col. Rosalino Ibay Jr. said over 100 cops will ensure peace and order in Tondo under a ‘kulambo’ or mosquito net security.