Close to 50 personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard will be deployed to man the vicinity of the Quiapo Church in Manila during the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 9, Saturday.
A total of 45 Coast Guard men will be deployed around Quiapo Church and along the Pasig River to conduct their usual role to maintain the safety and security of devotees while they commemorate the feast.
While the annual Traslacion or the procession of the Black Nazarene from the Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church was cancelled this year, Coast Guard personnel and floating assets will still be deployed off the Pasig River, the Coast Guard said.
Commodore Charlie Rances, commander of the Coast Guard District National Capital Region – Central Luzon, said they will deploy floating assets and security personnel along Pasig River, in coordination with church officials, to uphold safety and security of the devotees.
They will also participate in the strict enforcement of precautionary measures amid the coronavirus pandemic.
He added that starting Jan. 7, Thursday, they prepared personnel and safety gears for the annual celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Saturday.
According to the Coast Guard, 16 additional personnel are on standby for possible force augmentation in Manila.
Rances also said that on Jan. 8, the PCG will conduct readiness inspection to ensure deployment and to ensure that additional force augmentation in the form of deployable response groups are all set for safe, secure, and peaceful Traslacion 2021.