Ref.: Maria Kristina E. Cassion
854-0984 / 854-0452 / 854-0456 / 853-0041 to 60 local 8940/8329
Mobile: +63 917 552-6023
January 7, 2010
The Light Rail Transit Authority is preparing for a heavy influx of passengers on Saturday when tens of thousands of devotees from all walks of life are expected to take part in the annual celebration of the Feast Day of the Black Nazarene.
LRTA Administrator Melquiades Robles said they are prepared to field 24 trains with 2 spares to service the devotees and their regular passengers.
?Normally we only field 18 trains during Saturdays, but since ridership is normally high during the feast day celebration, we will be deploying more trains. We are also very flexible, we may add more trains if we see that 24 trains would not be enough,? Robles said.
Security will remain tight as security personnel will continue to implement the ?no inspection, no entry? policy in all stations.
Additional security personnel with K9 dogs, will be deployed in all Line 1 (Baclaran to Monumento) and Line 2 (Recto-Santolan) stations, which will be augmented with personnel from the PNP?s Regional Mobile Group.
Robles also said they will deploy medical and public assistance personnel and additional tellers at the UN Avenue, Central, Carriedo, D. Jose and Recto stations to accommodate the expected surge in passenger volume.
As with last year?s celebration, the LRTA will still allow barefoot passengers to board its trains in deference to the customary celebration of the Black Nazarene Day.
?We saw that it was very effective in drawing more passengers to use the LRT, that is why will continue to allow them to board the train this year, Robles said.
Every 9th of January, tens of thousands of devotees from all walks of life come to the church of Quiapo to take part in the procession as a way of strengthening their faith or fulfilling their ?panata? (vow).
The program for this year?s feast day revelry will involve the image of the Black Nazarene being brought to the Quirino Grandstand in Manila today (Friday), the eve of the feast.
Activities at the Quirino Grandstand will start this afternoon, including a parade and healing service.
On Saturday, activities start at 3 a.m. with a Holy Hour, a concelebrated Mass at 6 a.m., and the start of the procession to Quiapo at 7:30 a.m.
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