Manila gov’t clears streets for Nazarene procession
Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada yesterday ordered the Manila Police District (MPD) and the Office of the City Engineer to clear all forms of obstruction along the route of the Traslacion or the traditional procession of the Black Nazarene, for public safety.
“We want everyone to be safe. We want the procession to be hassle-free as much as possible for the thousands of devotees participating in it, and also to lessen the inconvenience of motorists and commuters,” Estrada said.
City engineer Rogelio Legazpi said the clearing operation began last Wednesday and is being carried out by more than 600 men until tomorrow. It is focused around the immediate vicinity of Quiapo Church such as the streets of Villalobos, Carlos Palanca and Hidalgo, which are expected to be filled with Black Nazarene devotees.
“We asked the vendors to get out of the way. We removed and tore down illegal structures that occupy road spaces, and also illegal transport terminals,” Legazpi said.
Authorities are also looking for open manholes and sewers as well as
hanging power cables that pose risk to devotees while conducting on-the-spot repairs of unpaved roads.
“Illegally parked vehicles were also towed away,” Legazpi added.
Road closure starts today
Since the procession of the replicas of the Black Nazarene will be held today, the MPD will close roads starting today till Jan. 9.
MPD chief Senior Supt. Joel Coronel warned the public to expect “very heavy” traffic.
But he said the streets would be “opened immediately once the tail end of the procession passes.”
At 1 p. m. onwards, the southbound lane of Quezon Boulevard (Quiapo) from A. Mendoza/ Fugoso to Plaza Miranda, eastbound lane of CM Recto Avenue from Rizal Avenue to SH Loyola Street, and the westbound lane of España Boulevard from P. Campa to Lerma Streets will be closed to traffic.
The MPD advised motorists passing through Plaza Miranda to turn left to Quezon Boulevard, turn left to Gil Puyat street, right to Evangelista Street, right to Recto Avenue, right to Loyola Street, right to Bilibid Viejo through Gil Puyat, then left to Guzman Street, right to Hidalgo Street, left to Barbosa, right to Globo de Oro, right again to Palanca Street and turn right to Villalobos through Plaza Miranda.
The MPD advised motorists coming from España Boulevard intending to proceed to Roxas Boulevard/South Pier/ Taft Ave to turn right to P. Campa Street and then straight to Fugoso Street to their point of destination.
All vehicles intending to utilize Quezon Boulevard coming from A. Mendoza Street are advised to turn right to Fugoso, then left to Rizal Avenue to reach their point of destination.
All vehicles utilizing the eastbound lane of CM Recto coming from Divisoria shall turn right to Rizal Avenue to their point of destination.
All vehicles utilizing SH Loyola Street coming from Balic-Balic area going to Quiapo shall turn right to CM Recto Avenue to point of destination.
From Jan. 8 to 9, the route of the grand procession of the Black Nazarene will be closed to traffic.
The procession of the Black Nazarene will start from the Quirino Grandstand.
From Quirino grandstand, the procession will proceed to Katigbak Drive through P. Burgos Street, turn left to Taft Avenue through Jones Bridge, right to Dasmariñas, right again toward Plaza Santa Cruz, left to Palanca Street, left to Quezon Boulevard and right to Arlegui.
From Arlegui Street, the procession will turn right to Fraternal Street, right to Vergara, left to Duque de Alba, left to Castillejos, left to Farnecio, right to Arlegui again, left to Nepomuceno, left to Aguila, right to Carcer, right to Hidalgo thru Plaza del Carmen, left to Bilibid Viejo through Gil Puyat, left to Guzman, right to Hidalgo, left to Bautista (Barbosa), right to Globo de Oro under Quezon Bridge, right to Palanca and right to Villalobos through Plaza Miranda going to Quiapo Church.
At 9 p.m. of Jan. 8, Katigbak Drive and South Drive will be closed to traffic. One lane will be left accessible to Manila and H2O Hotel.
Starting at midnight of Jan. 9, the stretch of MacArthur, Jones and Quezon bridges; Roxas Boulevard from Katigbak Drive to TM Kalaw Street; both lanes of Quezon Boulevard (Quiapo) will be closed to traffic.
The MPD advised motorists with light vehicles intending to utilize the stretch of Bonifacio Drive and Roxas Boulevard southbound to turn around to Anda Circle going to A. Soriano Avenue, right to Gen. Luna Street to Burgos-Orosa Streets, then left to TM Kalaw to Taft Avenue to point of destination.
Trucks and other heavy vehicles intending to utilize the stretch of Bonifacio Drive southbound are advised to turn around Anda Circle going back to northbound lane of Road 10 to C3 to point of destination.
Vehicles coming from the southern part of Manila intending to utilize the northbound lane of Roxas Boulevard from TM Kalaw Street to P. Burgos are advised to turn right to TM Kalaw and left to Orosa going to Intramuros, left to A. Soriano Avenue to point of destination.
Vehicles traveling along P. Burgos Street are advised to turn right to Finance Road to Ayala Avenue to their point of destination.
Vehicles using Taft Avenue northbound are advised to turn right to Ayala Boulevard to point of destination.
Starting at midnight of Jan. 9, vehicles coming from Quezon City using the stretch of España Avenue are advised to turn right to P. Campa Street, then left to A. Mendoza, right to Fugoso, right to CM Recto Avenue or left to Nicanor Reyes Street, then right to CM Recto to point of destination.
Vehicles coming from Caloocan City utilizing Rizal Avenue are advised to turn right to Fugoso or CM Recto Avenue, to point of destination.
Heavy vehicles/cargo trucks are advised to take Osmeña Avenue to Quirino Avenue to Nagtahan via AH Lacson Avenue to Capulong Street.
All buses using Taft northbound are advised to turn right to Ayala Avenue to point of destination.
Vehicles coming from Reina Regente Street utilizing the southbound lane are advised to turn right to San Fernando Street or make a U-turn at Plaza Ruiz to point of destination.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, meanwhile, again reminded the public that the Quirino Grandstand and all areas along the route of the Traslacion are “no-fly zones.” Even drones are not allowed.
The Supreme Court, on the other hand, said it would suspend work from noon onwards on Jan. 9 except in some offices that should maintain a skeleton workforce in the afternoon to attend to the possible filing of pleadings with deadlines.
These offices are the SC Office of the Clerk of Court En Banc, SC Judicial Records Office, SC Fiscal Management and Budget Office Cash Division, CA Office of the Clerk of Court; CA Cash Division, CA Judicial Records Office and all receiving offices.
The SC also said the executive judges of the Manila Regional Trial Courts and Manila Metropolitan Trial Courts may exercise discretion in maintaining a skeleton force to deal with urgent filings or pleadings with deadlines on Monday.
The US embassy in Manila will also be closed on Monday in observance of the Feast of the Black Nazarene. It also advised its citizens to exercise caution amid terror threats during the religious event.