Roads closed, control points set up for Black Nazarene Feast —police

Some roads will be closed and control points will be set up in Manila in preparation for the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene on Sunday, police said.

In a statement, The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said these measures have been imposed to make sure that devotees would not insist on visiting churches, which have been closed in light of the threat of COVID-19.

Starting 4 a.m. on Friday, the following roads around Quiapo Church will be closed to traffic:

• southbound lane of Quezon Boulevard (Quiapo), from A. Mendoza/Fugoso to Quezon Bridge
• stretch of Evangelista Street from P.Paterno to C.M. Recto Ave.
• stretch of Raon from Evangelista to Quezon Boulevard
• stretch of Palanca Street from Plaza Lacson to Quiapo ilalim (Quinta Market)
• northbound lane of Rizal Ave. From Carriedo to C.M. Recto Avenue
• stretch of Bustos Street, from Plaza Sta Cruz to Rizal Avenue

Affected motorists may use these following rerouting:

• vehicles intending to utilize Quezon Blvd coming from A Mendoza shall turn right to Fugoso St left to Severino reyes st. to recto ave. to point of destination
• vehicles coming from Quezon City utilizing westbound lane of España Blvd. shall turn left to Nicanor Reyes St (Morayta) turn right to CM Recto Ave. or turn right to P. Campal St. To Fugoso St. to point of destination
• vehicles coming from P. Burgos Ave. and Taft Ave. intending to utilize Quezon Bridge, Shall go straight to Jones or Mc Arthur Bridge to point of destination;
• vehicles coming from Mc. Arthur Bridge intending to utilize C. Palanca St. or the Northbound lane or Rizal Ave shall go straight to Plaza Sta Cruz to Dasmariñas St. to point of destination

The police also set up five “containment security rings” to monitor the safety of the public and ensure that no devotee will be able to go to closed churches.

According to the NCRPO, the 1st Containment Ring was established in the immediate vicinity of Quiapo Church to act as the venue control point in the following areas:

• Quiapo arch;
• Beside Villalobos Underpass;
• Villalobos St/Hidalgo St;
• Beside Victory Mall;
• Plaza San Juan; and
• 711 near Overpass.

The 2nd Containment Ring will serve as the inner control point covering the following areas:

• Villalobos St./Palanca St;
• Palanca St. (Fronting Barangay 306);
• Palanca St./Palermo Gomez St;
• Palanca St./Estero Cegado St;
• Carriedo St./Estero Cegado St;
• Paterno St./Estero Cegado St;
• Paterno St./Sales St;
• Paterno St./ P Gomez St;
• Carriedo St. Palma;
• Paterno St./Evangelista St;
• Quezon Blvd/Paterno St;
• Quezon Blvd/Escaldo St;
• Quezon Blvd/Hidalgo St;
• Quezon Blvd/Arlegui St;
• Quezon Blvd/Norzagaray St;
• Quezon Blvd/Globo De Oro;
• 1st Hole;
• 2nd Hole
• Palanca St/Quezon Blvd (3rd Hole)

3rd Containment Ring is the outer control point and established in the following areas:

• Carlos Palanca;
• Taft Ave. fronting Mehan Garden;
• Plaza Sta. Criz corner C. Palanca;
• C.M. Recto corner Rizal Ave;
• CM Recto Ave; and
• Lerma corner Nicanor Reyes.

In the 4th Containment Ring or the the law enforcement control point, checkpoints are set up especially in the boundaries of Metro Manila:

• Brgy 101, Mel Lopez Blvd;
• H. Lopez blvd;
• Juan Luna St;
• Rizal Ave corner R. Papa;
• Blumentritt near corner Dimasalang St. Sta. Cruz, Manila (Fronting Manila North Cemetery);
• España Blvd corner Blumentritt extn;
• RM Blvd corner Santol St. Sampaloc Manila;
• New Panaderos St City Limit in front of McDonalds;
• Lubiran Bridge, Lubiran St. Bacood Manila;
• Pinaglabanan Bridge;
• Roxas Blvd near corner P. Ocampo;
• Taft Ave corner P. Ocampo; and
• Baseco Compound Brgy 649, 2nd St.

Meanwhile, the 5th Containment Ring serves as the border control point in the 34 Regional Control Points in the boundaries of Metro Manila and nearby provinces, the NCRPO said.

NCRPO chief Police Major General Vicente Danao Jr. said 2,397 cops will be deployed on January 7, Friday; 2, 102 on January 8; and 2, 418 on January 9 to man the five containment rings.

Earlier, the Quiapo Church announced that the traditional Traslacion or procession of Black Nazarene image to its church will be suspended again this year and related Masses will be held online due to the pandemic. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News