Nazarene devotees did their best to follow protocols, Quiapo Church officials say

Based on the assessment of Quiapo Church officials, the devotees who flocked to the church on Saturday for the Black Nazarene Feast did their best to follow protocols set amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Sa overall assessment ko po, nakakatuwa kasi nakita ko sa mga deboto ang pagsunod at disiplina, tiyaga at pagtitiis para lamang makarating lamang sa simbahan at makita ang Poong Itim na Nazareno," Fr. Douglas Badong, parochial vicar of Quiapo Church, said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV on Sunday.

"Nakakataba ng puso na nakinig ang mga deboto sa mga ipinatutupad na proseso," he added.

"Nagtulungan ang mga Hijos [del Nazareno], barangay at mga pulis para masigurong magiging ligtas ang mga deboto," Fr. Badong said.

On instances when social distancing was not followed in areas around the church, the vicar said it was not the intention of devotees to do so.

"Hindi naman talaga intensyon ng mga deboto na lumabag. Hindi naman po talaga nagdikit-dikit," he added.

Devotees were seen in some photos having enough distance between each other as they awaited their turn to enter the church for the Mass.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) acting director Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. on Saturday said the Feast of the Black Nazarene was generally peaceful.

However, he said that as devotees continued to arrive, the one-meter social distancing rule was barely being followed.

“Hindi lang po maiwasan na ‘yung violation ng minimum health standards at protocol ay medyo nava-violate po kaya naman sa ibang mga areas talagang sobrang nagdikit-dikit na,” Danao said.

The Black Nazarene feast held this year, albeit without the Traslacion or the annual procession of the life-sized image of the dark-skinned Jesus Christ carrying the cross, was a "superspreader" event amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the OCTA Research said on Saturday.

Fr. Badong however said: "Hangad po natin na hindi maging "super spreader" ng virus ang mga deboto."

This is why the Quiapo Church officials coordinated with the Hijos del Nazareno, barangay, and police officials to help implement health protocols.

"Mahigpit na ipinatupad ng mga Hijos ang mga health protocols," he said.

Control points were set up to manage the volume of devotees approaching the church. 

Before entering the church, devotees were given contact tracing forms and their body temperatures were checked.

"Bumagal ang pagpasok ng mga deboto sa mga controlled area dahil kailangan kunin isa-isa ang kanilang temperatura," Fr. Badong said.

He also gave the assurance on Saturday that only 30% of Quiapo Church was filled, in accordance with guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) for areas under general community quarantine amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Nasusunod ang 30% minimum seating capacity sa loob ng Quiapo Church," he said.

"Na-manage naman natin ang mga debotong dumating. Naging maingat kami sa Kapistahan ng Poong Itim na Nazareno," Monsignor Hernando Coronel, rector of Quiapo Church, said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV on Sunday.

The Traslacion was canceled this year due to the pandemic, and devotees were urged to attend the Masses online. 

"Marami ring deboto ang sumubaybay sa Traslacion online," Monsignor Hernando Coronel said.

However, around 400,000 devotees still flocked to Quiapo Church and its environs on Saturday. 

Monsignor Coronel and Manila Police District Station 3 commander Police Lieutenant Colonel John Guiagui later said however that more or less 300,000 devotees went.

"Around 300,000 ang dumalo sa Pista ng Poong Itim na Nazareno, Monsignor Coronel said."

"Ito na lamang ang kakapitan ng mga tao, pananampalataya. Aalisin pa ba namin? Naunawaan naman ng mga deboto na walang prusisyon," Fr. Badong said.

The "New Normal Traslacion" of the Black Nazarene Feast in Quiapo ended with a Mass before midnight on Saturday.

Before 12 midnight, the doors of the Quiapo Church were closed.

Devotees at Plaza Miranda were told to go home due to the 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. curfew in Manila imposed as Metro Manila is still under GCQ amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clearing operations started as soon as the devotees left the area.

Roads which were closed on Saturday for the feast were opened to motorists on Sunday.

The image of the Black Nazarene will remain at the balcony of Quiapo Church on Sunday for devotees to view. —KG, GMA News