The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) will raise its alert status to "Blue Alert" beginning on Sunday, Jan. 7, in preparation for the "Traslacion" 2024 or the annual Feast of the Black Nazarene.
Around two million Catholic faithful are expected to attend the procession of the revered image of Black Nazarene from Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church in Manila on Tuesday, Jan. 9.
To ensure the safety of the devotees, NDRRMC Executive Director Ariel Nepomuceno said the alert status of the NDRRM Operations Center (NDRRMOC) will be hoisted to Blue Alert which pertains to a condition of stand-by readiness requiring at least 50 percent of human and material resources made available for duty or deployment.
"Manned by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Operations Service personnel, heightened monitoring and close coordination with relevant agencies and uniformed services will be carried out by the NDRRMOC," Nepomuceno said on Friday, Jan. 5.
Meanwhile, Nepomuceno noted that an incident management team (IMT) headed by the Manila City DRRM Office will be activated on the ground "to monitor the situation and manage incidents that may be encountered during the procession."
He added that the OCD regional office in the National Capital Region (NCR) has coordinated with the Manila DRRM Office relative to the preparation for the Traslacion 2024.