OVER a hundred devotees suffered minor and major injuries during the first hours of the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene Wednesday, January 9.
As of 10:30 a.m., the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) said a total of 131 persons have been given immediate medical attention.
The organization said eight persons sustained major injuries such as laceration, difficulty of breathing, dizziness and blunt trauma. They were brought to the nearest hospital for further treatment.
Other patients obtained minor cases such as difficulty of breathing, fainting, punctured, abrasion, bruises, minor laceration and toothache.
The PRC, together with the concerned government agencies, has installed several first-aid stations along the route of the procession from the Quirino Grandstand towards the Quiapo Church to immediately attend to devotees in need of medical attention.
Teams of emergency responders are also roving around the Manila area.
The procession started around 5 a.m. As of 11 a.m., the procession has reached the Jones Bridge in Manila.
Police said as of the said time, there are at least 500,000 people joining the procession.
In an interview, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said the occasion remains peaceful.
“Sa ngayon wala pa tayong natatanggap na complaint mula sa ating mga kababayan at wala din tayong natatanggap na security threat,” he said.
(As of now, we have not received any complaint nor any security threat.)
Albayalde asked for understanding over the mobile phone signal shutdown in Manila as a preventive measure. Cellphones are usually used as triggering devices of improvised explosive devices.
Over 7,000 police personnel were deployed in Metro Manila to ensure the peace and order of the said religious event.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Guillermo Eleazar earlier said they were expecting the procession to finish within 20 hours.
Last year, the procession of the Black Nazarene lasted for at least 22 hours and was attended by 1.5 million devotees. (SunStar Philippines)