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CEBU CITY, Philippines – Organizers of the of the traditional foot procession at the Basilica del Sto. Niño have renewed calls for the public not to use firecrackers or balloons along the procession route.
They anticipated problems of crowd control with the change in order of the procession introduced this year.
“The (carosa carrying the) image of the Sto. Niño will be at the head of the procession this year,” said Lidiore “Boy” Miranda, chairman of the Committee for Fluvial Arrival and Procession.
The carosa used to be at the tail end of the procession. The idea was brought about as one way of declogging the streets by urging the people to be at the head of the procession, he added.
Miranda had some reservations about the new scheme, but said he was ready to test it.
“Chances are that the groups assigned at the back (of the procession) would move to the front. From my experience, the devotees prefer to be near the Sto. Niño. It would still be a challenge to police the ranks and maintain order,” he said.
He said that if there are structures along the route, these would be broken up.
He discouraged devotees from putting up balloons and exploding firecrackers along the procession route.
“There are devotees who install balloons fashioned into arcs, throw candies and other goodies into the streets are doing these to show that they are grateful for the blessings they have received. But the people scramble in these areas,” he said.
“While they offer these to the Sto. Niño, they can help us by not creating a problem. Devotees should be more considerate. We have systems to observe and procedures to follow,” he added.
He said the no-firecrackers rule has been repeatedly announced in the past so there should be no fireworks along the route of the procession or even near the route. /Editorial Assistant Bernadette A. Parco
