Devotees celebrate Sto. Niño de Pandacan festival

Residents and visitors alike trooped to the streets of Pandacan, Manila on Sunday to celebrate the Sto. Niño de Pandacan festival.

People shouted "Viva Senor Sto. Niño!" while an Ati-Atihan parade weaved through the community on the way to the Sto. Niño de Pandacan Parish in the morning, according to a report by Carlo Mateo on Super Radyo dzBB.

Devotees carried images of the Child Jesus while some brought balloons and wore face paint.

Some 11,000 individuals took part in the blessing of the images of the Sto. Nino, the Manila Police District (MPD) said.

At 9 a.m., Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula officiated a High Mass or “Simbang Maringal” at the Sto. Niño de Pandacan Parish.

The parish was filled with churchgoers, and those who could not be accommodated inside heard Mass on the church grounds and Jesus Street where video walls were installed.

More than 300 personnel of the MPD were deployed in Pandacan on Sunday to ensure peace and order during the festival, MPD Station 10 Commander Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Agbon said.

The city government of Manila on Friday announced that some roads in Pandacan would be closed starting past midnight Saturday, among them portions of Jesus Street and Beata Street.

On Saturday, hundreds of people also flocked to Pandacan for the Buling-Buling Festival in honor of the Sto. Niño de Pandacan.

Meanwhile, two people who were drunk and joined the Ati-Atihan parade were brought by MPD personnel to their command post on Sunday to prevent any untoward incident.

Personnel from the Manila city government's emergency medical services team, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office were also in the area to provide assistance to devotees.

The length of President Quirino Avenue corner Jesus Street up to Carreon Street  remained closed to traffic in accordance with the celebration. —with a report from Jiselle Casucian/KG/RF, GMA Integrated News