By Nel B. Andrade Antipolo City, Rizal — Maundy Thursday is set to draw about 3 million pilgrims, most of them walking barefoot, in this city. As early as today, security and medical agencies are already on alert to ensure peace and order and the safety of pilgrims, Mayor Casimiro “Junjun” Ynares, III assured yesterday. The “Penitential Walk,” an annual tradition in which pilgrims walk barefoot from different places to reach the Cathedral of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in this city, will begin tonight. Loel Malonzo, head of the Rizal Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said hundreds of local government peace keepers, traffic enforcers, policemen and military personnel including volunteer groups will be manning several monitoring centers and emergency centers on the stretches of Ortigas Avenue, Marcos Highway, and Sumulong Highway. Authorities are encouraging the pilgrims not to bring bags to speed up security checks upon entry to the church. If they must bring bags, pilgrims are urged to use transparent bags. Bulacan’s 9 oldest churches In Bulacan, security and first aid stations have also been set up at places of devotion for the Lenten rites tomorrow, said Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado. “The Bulacan Rescue Team and first aid station are ready 24/7 to ensure a safe and worry-free travel,” he said. He said nine old churches in the province are known pilgrim sites for Catholics performing the “Visita Iglesia.” They are the Church of Saint Francis in Meycauayan City, the oldest church in Bulacan that was established in 1578; the Our Lady of Assumption Church (est. 1578) in Bulakan town, historically tied to young general, Gregorio Del Pilar; the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel or Barasoain Church in the City of Malolos, site where the Malolos Constitution was ratification; The Immaculate Conception Malolos Cathedral (est. 1580), which was used by Fist Philippine President General Emilio Aguinaldo as his office from 1898 to 1899; the St. Michael de Arcangel (est. 1796) in Marilao, which was reconstructed into a stone church in 1868; The St. Martin of Tours Church (est. 1600) in Bocaue, site of the famous Holy Cross of Wawa used in the yearly Pagoda Festival; the Shrine of Saint Andrew Kim Tae Gon, which is believed to be the first Korean Catholic beatified by Pope Pius X1 on July 5, 1925 and canonized by Pope John Paul 11 on May 6, 1984, also in Bocaue; The San Isidro Labrador Church in Pulilan, before which carabaos are made to kneel during the annual festival parade; and the St. James the Apostle Church in Plaridel. Pampanga crucifixions Meanwhile, around 50,000 local and foreign spectators are expected to witness the annual crucifixion rites on Good Friday the City of San Fernando in Pampanga. The city’s committee for the “Maleldo 2018,” chaired by Councilor Harvey Quiwa, revealed that more or less eight people are to be nailed to crosses in San Pedro Cutud alone. The village is widely known for annual re-enactments of the crucifixion of Jesus. Other staging areas for Christ’s crucifixion this year are in Barangays San Juan and Sta. Lucia, also in this city. Earlier, Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin said that the city government has provided subsidy of at least P250,000 for San Pedro Cutud, P150,000 each for San Juan and Sta. Lucia and, P15,000 for the other 32 villages to ensure the safety and success of the Holy Week activities. (With reports from Freddie C. Velez and Franco G. Regala)