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MANILA, Philippines — Cloudy skies with scattered rains are expected over parts of the country today as millions of devotees take part in the annual traslacion of the Black Nazarene, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
In its 24-hour public weather forecast issued at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, PAGASA said a shear line affecting Southern Luzon, the northeast monsoon or amihan prevailing over most of Luzon, and easterlies influencing other areas will bring generally unsettled weather conditions.
The weather bureau said the Bicol Region, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Palawan and Northern Samar may experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and isolated thunderstorms due to the shear line, with moderate to at times heavy rainfall possibly triggering flash floods or landslides.
Meanwhile, Ilocos Region, the rest of Central Luzon and the remaining areas of Calabarzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains caused by the northeast monsoon. PAGASA said no significant weather impacts are expected in these areas.
In a separate special weather forecast, PAGASA noted that weather conditions in Metro Manila will remain generally cloudy throughout the day, with rain chances increasing from late morning to early afternoon.
Rainfall probability is forecast at around 10 percent from midnight to midmorning, before rising to 50 percent between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., when strong northeast winds are also expected. Rain chances ease to about 30 percent in the afternoon and evening as winds gradually weaken.
Heat index values in Metro Manila may reach up to 30 to 31 degrees Celsius around midday before cooling toward the evening.
Security OK
With over 18,000 police officers on deck, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday all security measures are in place for the traslacion or procession of the Black Nazarene in Manila today.
Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said they have a comprehensive security and crowd management plan to ensure that millions of devotees are safe and secured during the duration of the religious feast.
“The security measures are complete and will be adjusted real-time while coordination with other government agencies are continuously being done,” Nartatez said in a statement.
Police officers have been deployed at the Quirino Grandstand where the procession will start up to the Quiapo Church. Plainclothes and intelligence operatives are also on the ground to counter thieves. Assistance decks were positioned in strategic areas to help senior citizens, persons with disabilities, women and children.
Maj. Philipp Ines, spokesman for the Manila Police District, said the Manila police is on full alert during the entire duration of the Black Nazarene’s procession, with police officers enforcing the gun ban, liquor ban and prohibition on the use of firecrackers.
To protect the the event from possible attacks, communication signals will be disrupted along the routes of the procession.
Andas reinforced
Local jeepney manufacturer Sarao Motors has ensured that all devotees will be safe as the andas or carriage of the image of Jesus Nazarene will ply through the 5.8-kilometer route for Friday’s traslación.
This is the third year that Quiapo Church will use a carriage with a glass enclosure to prevent devotees from climbing over and prolonging the annual procession.
“As much as possible, we wanted to make everything structurally sound… and we looked at the possible weak points,” Leonard John Sarao, operations supervisor at Sarao Motors, told The STAR on Thursday. “We eliminated the weak points we saw in the past.”
When the newly revamped carriage was introduced in 2024—which, at the time, made Sarao “nervous”—the glass case was foggy at the get-go. He eventually learned that “the people below were breathing inside.”
Still, Traslación 2024 clocked in at nearly 15 hours, the fastest since 2010.
In 2025, however, the image returned home past 1 a.m. on Jan. 10 after nearly 21 hours on the road when the two ropes snapped midway.
“One of the panels was broken,” he said of the carriage’s condition upon returning last year to Sarao’s main office in Las Piñas. “You would think it got hit by a truck.”
This year, Sarao Motors added a steering wheel to the carriage for the first time, which will be operated by a member of the Hijos del Nazareno brotherhood. To maintain airflow, there are electric fans installed.
The carriage is also stocked with basic first aid items to respond to medical emergencies. Sarao Motors has added more wheels made of solid rubber, fully welded and installed, to prevent hitting the feet of devotees.
“We changed the front axle. It now has four wheels—they’re much stable now,” Sarao, an architect by profession, said. Sarao assured the public that the glass is “shatter-resistant” to protect the centuries-old image from being tampered with.
Despite these preparations, Sarao, of his family’s third generation to oversee the vaunted jeepney manufacturer’s operations, admits that anything can happen during traslación. “We don’t know because there are a lot of factors at play,” he said.
Gun and liquor ban
The gun and liquor ban in Manila will be strictly enforced until Saturday, according to the National Capital Region Police Office.
NCRPO spokesperson Maj. Hazel Asilo told radio dzBB that force multipliers are deployed to assist the police in implementing the twin bans, which began on Thursday.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso also reminded the public that consumption and sale of alcohol will be banned during the traslacion.
“Drinking in public is illegal. Ordinance 5555 is strictly enforced in the surrounding area—not just the church but the entire Quiapo, within a 500-meter radius. And to the sellers, you are not allowed to sell. Temporarily, you are being restrained of your privilege to sell liquor on the stated date,” he said.
Domagoso issued Executive Order No. 2 imposing a liquor ban during the traslacion. He also appealed to vendors to avoid selling bottled drinks and food on sticks as these items might harm devotees, mostly barefoot
For its part, the Light Rail Transit Line 1 will admit barefooted passengers and allow them to ride trains during the traslacion, said its private operator Light Rail Manila Corp. in an advisory. – Emmanuel Tupas, EJ Macababbad, Christine Boton, Gerry Lee Gorit, Evelyn Macairan, Rick Sapnu, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Rainier Allan Ronda, Ghio Ong
