453 Traslacion devotees injured, 9 hospitalized -DOH

A total of 453 people were reported injured amid the Traslacion on Tuesday, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said.

During a press conference at the Quiapo Church Command Center, DOH Health Emergency Management Bureau chief Dr. Bernadett Velasco said nine of those injured were hospitalized.

“Sa ngayon po, may naitala po tayo na 453 according po sa records natin. Pero ang nakakatuwa pong ibalita ay lahat po ito ay minor lang po,” she said.

“Siyam lang po ang pinadala natin sa ospital kasi po inaagapan lang natin iyong kanilang mga nararamdaman at hindi na po natin kayang i-manage kasimerong mga higher na laboratory, diagnostic na kailangan sa kanila,” she added.

The worst condition medical personnel attended to was a suspected heart attack case, according to Velasco.

“Kanina meron lang tayong isang naitala na suspect of having, complaining of chest pain. So sinuspetsa po na baka nagkakaroon siya ng heart attack,” she said.

Authorities were following up on the case, Velasco added.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police said there were no reported crimes in concerned areas during Traslacion.

“So far, zero incident po tayo ngayon, wala po tayong naitatala na victims of crimes,” said Manila Police District (MPD) Deputy Director for Operations Police Colonel Roderico Roy Jr.

Roy explained that devotees were more obedient in this year’s Traslacion because of the larger police deployment.

Quiapo Church spokesperson Fr. Hans Magdurulang, for his part, said devotees still tried to climb over the carriage of the Black Nazarene despite the earlier issued prohibition against this.

“Kahit na merong tayong paulit-ulit at patuloy na pagpapaalala, pagdating po ng aktuwal na pangyayari ay masasabi natin na hindi na natin makokontrol din at magbibigyan ng perpektong paliwanag at utos ang mga marubdob na damdamin ng ating mga deboto,” he said.

So far, all the plans for Traslacion 2024 have been achieved, according to Magdurulang.

The estimated crowd in this year's Traslacion reached 2,807,700 at 1 p.m., according to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

This included the devotees at the Quirino Grandstand, the Traslacion route, and the Quiapo Church.

Part of the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, the Traslacion is the procession of the 400-year-old black image of Jesus Christ or Nazareno from the Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Church.

The image of the Black Nazarene left the Quirino Grandstand at 4:45 a.m. on Tuesday, marking the start of the procession.

The traditional Traslacion was not held over the past three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. — DVM, GMA Integrated News