In preparation for the Feast of Jesus Nazareno on January 9, the Manila Police District (MPD) has declared a three-day suspension of all permits to carry firearms outside residences, effective from January 8 to January 11. This announcement was made by MPD chief Brig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay during a press briefing at the Nazarene Catholic School in the Quiapo district.
To ensure the safety of the event, the National Capital Region Office plans to deploy 12,168 officers, with an additional 2,306 personnel from other units providing support. The law enforcement team will include officers from Police Regional Offices 3 and 4A, as well as members of the Special Action Force.
Ibay noted that the week-long festivities, particularly in the Quiapo area, will see continuous activities. A skeletal deployment will be in place until the evening of January 8, after which a full deployment will be implemented. Due to the heightened alert status, all leaves and days off for personnel have been canceled.
Despite no reported threats from the intelligence community, Ibay emphasized that security measures would remain stringent until the day of the event. He also mentioned that decisions regarding mobile signal interruptions during the feast would be made by other authorities.
A walkthrough of the Translacion route will be conducted by the MPD and other agencies before the feast. Road closures along this route will begin at 9 p.m. on January 8, with designated control points to prevent unauthorized vehicle entry.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna has also announced a liquor ban from January 8 to January 10. The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) NCR will deploy eight firetrucks, along with medical and hazardous material teams, starting from the ‘Pahalik’ event. A specialized running card system will be used, with support groups from Fire Districts 2 and 3 on standby.
The theme for Nazareno 2025 is ‘Obedience is better than sacrifice for those who hope in Jesus’ (1 Sam. 15:22). The main events include a midnight Fiesta Mass on January 9 and the Traslacion procession from Quirino Grandstand in Luneta to the minor basilica.