MPD: 1,500 cops to be deployed for Binondo's Chinese New Year celebration

Some 1,500 police personnel have been deployed to secure the celebration of the Chinese New Year in Binondo, Manila, the Manila Police District (MPD) said Friday.

“One thousand five hundred for the weeklong activity but the bulk of deployment will be today, tonight and tomorrow during the parade,” MPD chief Police Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay told GMA News Online in a message.

He said around 500,000 tourists are expected to flock to Binondo for the occasion.

“We are expecting more than 500,000 dadagsa ngayon kasi weeklong activity ito. Nagsimula kasi itong noong February 1 noong kick-off ceremony dito sa may [Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz in Binondo],” Ibay told Unang Balita in an interview.

(We are expecting more than 500,000 because this is a week-long activity. It started on February 1 during the kick-off ceremony here at Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz in Binondo.)

“Pati na rin po iyong mga turista pumupunta na rito, local tourist natin, even foreign tourist natin, pumupunta dito. Kaya nagtalaga tayo ng sapat na kapulisan para bantayan sila dito,” he added.

(Local and foreign tourists are coming here. So we have assigned enough police to guard them.)

Checkpoints will be set up around the area, Ibay said. Road closures will also be implemented.

Ibay advised tourists not to bring huge amounts of cash and expensive belongings when they go to Binondo to avoid getting victimized by thieves.

He also reminded them to regularly check their belongings when shopping around the area.

“We are encouraging everybody to visit this place kasi marami po kayong mabibiling mga prutas, siyempre pampasuwerte doon sa  may paniniwalang magbibigay sa kanila ng magandang suwerte ngayon taon…This is a century-old tradition dito sa ating bansa,” Ibay said.

(We are encouraging everybody to visit this place because you can buy a lot of fruits and lucky charms...This is a century-old tradition here in our country.) —KBK, GMA Integrated News