Thousands brave drizzles for processions
Naval Forces Central dispatched 10 sea assets, including two small boats, to secure the galleon carrying the images Philippine Coast Guard Cebu Station tolerated unregistered vessels as long as these stayed behind registered ones
CLOSE to 300 sea vessels, including unregistered ones, joined the fluvial procession of the images of Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe yesterday despite the rain.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Cebu Station Commander Dionlett Ampil said the religious event was overall orderly, peaceful and successful.
There was no untoward inci- dent recorded during the duration of the fluvial procession.
Ampil said the increase in the number of sea vessels, mostly motor bancas that did not register in their office ahead of time but still participated in the event, was already expected.
“That's usual, we just tolerated them as long as they did not violate any guidelines. We made sure they positioned at the back of those registered vessels,” he said.
Ampil said that only 56 sea vessels, mostly motor bancas, registered, excluding vessels owned by the government that were dispatched to secure the others.
For the Naval Forces Central (Navforcen) alone, 10 sea assets were dispatched including two small boats that served as security of the galleon where the images of the Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe were placed.
Despite the early downpour, Lt. Junior Grade Herlaine Inao, spokesperson of Navforcen, said the fluvial parade started on time.
At exactly 6: 06 a. m., the galleon left the Ouano Wharf in Mandaue City and sailed towards the old Mactan- Mandaue bridge along the Mactan Channel where a huge crowd was waiting.
The galleon then proceeded to Cebu City before it docked at Pier 1 shortly before 8 a.m.
Ampil said that compared to last year, yesterday's procession finished earlier even though the participants needed to hurdle some challenges like the inclement weather.