More than 6 million devotees flock to Antipolo for Alay Lakad 2026
By Nel Andrade
More than six million devotees flocked to Antipolo City for the traditional penitential walk, or “Alay Lakad,” to the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage from Holy Thursday to Good Friday.
Crowd estimate for Alay Lakad 2026
The Rizal Police Provincial Office (PPO) said a total of 6,660,155 devotees were recorded to have reached the Antipolo Cathedral as of 6 a.m. on Good Friday, April 3.
Rizal PPO director Col. Eleazar Ruga Barber Jr. said no crime incidents were recorded based on monitoring by police stations in Taytay, Cainta, and Antipolo from April 2 to the morning of April 3.
(photo from Rizal PPO)
The Rizal PPO added that Police Assistance Desks across the province will continue to operate throughout Holy Week as part of the Philippine National Police’s peace and order program.
Ligtas Summer Vacation 2026 by the PPO (from PPO's FB page)
Meanwhile, Antipolo City Mayor Casimiro “Junjun” Ynares III said the event also resulted in the collection of several sacks of garbage by personnel of the city government’s Clean and Green Team and the City Environment and Waste Management Office.
He commended the city’s sanitation workers for maintaining cleanliness along highways and streets leading to Antipolo despite the large volume of pilgrims.
Ynares also said pilgrims were offered free “lugaw” (chicken porridge) upon reaching Sumulong Park beside the Antipolo Cathedral on Thursday night.
Bowls of "hot lugaw" were served to the pilgrims courtesy of the Antipolo City government (photo from Jun Andeng Ynares' FB page)