Food vendors banned from Nazarene vigil at Luneta

To lessen the trash generated by devotees, food vendors will be banned from this week's vigil of the Black Nazarene at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. Because of this, National Parks Development Committee head Juliet Villegas advised devotees to bring their own food to the vigil, radio dzBB reported Sunday. In last year's feast, devotees left heaps of trash at the vigil area, partly due to the food sold by vendors in the area. Millions of devotees are expected to attend the activities in this year's feast, including the Jan. 8 vigil and the Jan. 9 procession to the Quiapo Church. Devotees of the Black Nazarene believe the image possesses miraculous powers. Meanwhile, Villegas said the Manila city government and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority are setting up portable toilets in Quiapo and Luneta. She appealed to devotees not to urinate in public. On Saturday, police, devotees and the MMDA held a dry run of the activities at the feast. Also, the Department of Public Works and Highways also covered up open manholes along roads included in the procession route. — DVM, GMA News