By Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday warned candidates to ditch plans to use the Traslacion on Jan. 9 as a campaign venue.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said poll aspirants should not take advantage of religious activities such as the Feast of the Jesus Nazareno.
“This should be taken as a warning. There is nothing preventing us from disqualifying these individuals,” Garcia said in the same presser.
“This is just one day compared to the 90 days for the national candidates and 45 days for local candidates to campaign. Let us give this day to the devotees and not take advantage of it,” he added.
Meanwhile, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna urged devotees to strictly follow the rules and regulations being set by the Church and law enforcement authorities to avoid untoward incidents and ensure the safety of all the participants in the annual Traslacion.
In a statement, she also called on those who will be joining the procession not to bring children and persons with disability to protect them from any hazards.
The lady mayor also advised attendees against wearing jewelry or bringing prohibited items.
Lacuna had directed all concerned local government units to do their routine share of work, stressing that City Engineer Moises Alcantara had reported having gone through the designated procession route to make sure no hanging electrical wires as well as potholes and open manholes as devotees are expected to join barefoot.
Medical teams will also be on standby to attend to the needs of procession-goers.
Nationwide celebration
A prelate said the Feast of the Jesus Nazareno is no longer limited to Manila but is now a nationwide celebration.
Acording to Quiapo Church Rector Fr. Rufino “Jun” Sescon, the entire country will also celebrating the annual feast as it was declared as a national liturgical feast.
“This will be a historic celebration as this will mark the first time that this is no longer just a feast in Quiapo or in Manila but of the entire Philippines,” he said at the press conference for the Nazareno 2025 event.
“In every diocese and every parish in the Philippines, we can expect this to be celebrated,” the Quiapo official added.
Sescon said the declaration of the Feast of the Jesus Nazareno as a national liturgical feast happened last year.
“Sometime in August or September of (last) year, it was declared by liturgists that January 9 is a liturgical feast for the whole country,” he added.
During the gathering of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in July 2023, the bishops approved the petition to declare the Quiapo Church as a “national shrine”.
On the other hand, he said they expect devotees to still flock the Quiapo Church as well as the Quirino Grandstand to join the festivities.
“We still expect that many devotees will come to Quiapo even though there will be local celebrations,” Sescon added.
Some 6.1 million devotees attended the activities for the feast last year. (PNA)
