The Metro Manila police said out of the seven million devotees who joined the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila on Sunday, some 708 people suffered minor injuries such as blisters. The police said the festivities were "generally peaceful" even though the number of those who were injured was nearly three times higher than the figure recorded last year: 246. Metro Manila police chief Director Nicanor Bartolome, in an interview aired over dwIZ radio on Monday, said those at the Quirino Grandstand alone numbered more than one million. He said the seven million attendees included the devotees who were at the starting point of the procession at the Quirino Grandstand, those who waited along the the route of the procession, and those who were at the Quiapo Church, all in Manila. “Ang kalsada puno ng tao kaya ang aming estimate hanggang matapos dito sa loob ng simbahan umaabot ng seven million ang ating estimate (The streets were so packed, our estimate of those who joined the procession amounted to seven million)," he said.
"Very peaceful. Lahat ng pagpaplano ay nasunod at nagpapasalamat tayo sa lahat na tumulong, lahat na may kanya-kanyang role dito, ang simbahan, LGU (local government unit), MMDA (Metro Manila Development Authority), health workers at ibang NGO (nongovernnment organizations), at volunteer groups," Bartolome said. (Very peaceful. All our plans were carried out and we thank all those who helped us. Each group had its role, the church, the LGU, MMDA, health workers and other NGO and volunteer groups.) A separate report by radio dzBB’s Carlo Mateo said the 404-year-old image of Jesus Christ, called the "Black Nazarene" was brought to the entrance of the Quiapo Church at around 12:30 a.m., after a 17-hour procession. Many of the devotees stayed at the church to wait for the morning Mass before dawn on Monday, the dzBB report added. The traffic was heavy along the Manila-bound part of Quezon Boulevard in front of Quiapo Church.
Minor injuries Meanwhile, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) secretary general Gwendolyn Pang said they noted at least 708 injuries, most of which were blisters, lacerations, and punctures. Some people suffered from high blood pressure. Pang said that of the 708 injured people, 14 were brought to hospitals in Manila. The PRC, in its 11:15 p.m. Sunday report, said the cases varied from blood pressure taking, minor wound care, headache, dizziness, epilepsy, exhaustion, difficulty in breathing, and head injury.
“Karamihan diyan ay lacerations or punctures, nasugatan ang paa o braso dahil sa tulakan, dahil nakayapak sila natapakan matulis na bagay o bote. Nagtaas ang blood pressure ng ibang deboto. Ang iba, nagumpisa Friday, Quiapo Day," she said in a separate interview on dwIZ. (Most of the injuries involved lacerations and punctures. The devotees were hurt on the feet and arms because of the shoving, or because they stepped on sharp pieces of garbage or glass shards. Others suffered from high blood pressure due to hunger and dehydration.)
She said the number of those injured — 708— was three times higher than the 246 injuries recorded last year, but most of the injuries this year were relatively minor cases. “Nag-triple, 246 tayo last year, nasa 708 ngayon. Pero in terms sa seriousness ng case mas di serious, marami lang sila pero minor lahat (The cases tripled this year from 246 to 708. However, in terms of seriousness, the cases were minor this year)," she said.
Lessons learned Pang said authorities and devotees appeared to have learned their lessons from past festivities where devotees were killed or seriously hurt because of stampedes or other commotion. She said that this year, early public education appeared to have caused devotees to be more considerate of each other.
“Noong nakaraan talaga walang bigayan, nagtutulakan, stampede. Ngayon wala masyado. Kung minor (ang mga injury), ibig sabihin natututo na ang mga tao," she said. (In the past, stampedes occurred as everyone jostled for position, and shoved each other. Now there was no such shoving. The minor injuries showed people have learned.) However, Pang urged authorities not to allow fireworks in future festivities, saying these may injure people.
Black Nazarene The wooden statue of Jesus Christ, crowned with thorns and bearing a cross, is believed to have been brought from Mexico to Manila in 1606 by Spanish missionaries. The ship that carried it reportedly caught fire, but the statue, although charred, survived. It was then called the "Black Nazarene" after the statue was charred. The statue survived fires and earthquakes through the centuries, and intense bombings during World War II. During the procession, people jostled their way toward the Black Nazarene to touch, kiss, or wipe towels and handkerchiefs on it, in the hope of acquiring graces or miracles.
– VVP, GMANews.TV 
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