Cops: Sto Niño festivities in Manila peaceful so far

This year’s festivities in Manila in honor of the Santo Niño (Child Jesus) have been peaceful so far, with devotees expressing their faith in various ways - from quietly offering prayers in church to taking part in processions, a police official said on Sunday. Manila Police District Station 2 operations head Inspector Marlon Mallorca said the procession, which started at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, was peaceful. In the Binondo district, residents held a colorful and noisy parade in the afternoon, gathering at a plaza in front of the Binondo Church. The procession disrupted traffic in front of the church, while participants lighted several firecrackers. Radio dzBB's Manny Vargas reported that some 5,000 residents took part in separate processions for the Santo Niño in Manila's Tondo and Pandacan districts. On the other hand, a Malacañang official said that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo marked the feast quietly on Saturday in Pampanga, with a lunch with her family. In an interview on government-run dzRB on Saturday, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Mrs. Arroyo had decided not to attend the Sinulog Festival in Cebu, fearing that her presence would add to the worsening traffic in the city as thousands of devotees and tourists troop to the streets for the grand parade in honor of the Sto. Niño. “Traffic is so heavy, there’s no way to move around," he said. Remonde also appealed to offer prayers to the Santo Niño for Filipinos still trapped in Haiti after a devastating earthquake there. “Ipagdadasal natin yan sa Santo Niño (We will ask the Santo Niño for divine intercession for Filipinos in Haiti)," he said. In Iloilo City, around 4,000 police personnel were mobilized to secure the several activities in honor of the Child Jesus. Chief Senior Superintendent Melvin Mongcal said that added police personnel will come from the 6th Regional Mobile Group. Mongcal said the police and force multipliers were to be assigned in nine sectors or priority areas identified by the city police, according to a report on Iloilo-based The News Today. He said the security forces would be around during the Kasadyahan and Dinagyang tribes' contest on Jan. 23 and Jan. 24, respectively. Several activities have been lined up for the yearly festival in honor of Señor Sto. Niño (Christ Child), which has become a tourist attraction. - LBG, GMANews.TV