Grand fluvial procession held at Pampanga River

APALIT – Archbishop Paciano Aniceto and Governor Lilia Pineda led on Monday thousands of devotees and well-wishers of the Sto. Cristo del Pardon during the first grand fluvial procession held at the Rio Grande de Pampanga commonly known as the Pampanga River.

Aniceto, welcomed by the Catholic faithful in Candaba, was joined by local leaders in the town as he formally opened the activity in a simple ceremony.

The fluvial parade started in Barangay Pasig in Candaba going to the towns of San Luis, San Simon all the way to Apalit.

Father Mark Manabat, one of the organizers, earlier claimed that the procession was part of the 60-year celebration of the Virgen Delos Remedios and Sto. Cristo del Pardon.

The Virgen Delos Remedios first came in Pampanga on May 1, 1952. This is the time when the image was brought to various towns in Pampanga.

The activity is also intended to create awareness among the residents about the importance of having a clean and balanced environment.

Another objective of the fluvial procession is to get the attention of the National Government for the urgent need to rehabilitate the Pampanga River in order to protect the people in the province.

Pineda, for her part, urged Kapampangans living adjacent to the Pampanga River to help improve the current river’s condition by not dumping domestic garbage into it.

She also asked them to continuously pray for their safety especially this coming rainy season.

Also present during the procession were Mayor Jerry Pelayo, Board Members Nestor ‘Bay’ Tolentino, Ricardo Yabut, Monina Laus, Fritzie David and Trina Dizon, among others.