Thousands flock to Sto. Niño de Tondo ahead of feast day
Thousands of devotees gathered around Sto. Niño de Tondo Parish on Saturday, Jan. 17, ahead of the feast day of the Sto. Niño, drawing large crowds throughout the day.
Drone footage released by the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRM) showed dense crowds surrounding the church as religious activities continued.
As of 12 noon, an estimated 12,000 people had already participated in the pre-feast celebrations.
One of the highlight events was the annual “Lakbayaw Procession,” which drew around 4,200 devotees who joined the religious walk as an expression of faith and devotion to the Santo Niño.
The procession passed through major streets in Tondo under the close monitoring of authorities.
Personnel from the Manila DRRM Office, the Philippine National Police, and barangay volunteers were deployed to manage crowd flow and ensure public safety throughout the activities.
Organizers expect even larger crowds on Sunday, Jan. 18, the actual feast day of the Santo Niño.
Authorities have advised devotees to remain vigilant, follow safety guidelines, and cooperate with crowd-control measures to ensure a peaceful and orderly celebration.