MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 4, 2013) – The party list group called Alab ng Mamamahayag reminded pilgrims of the Black Nazarene to cooperate with authorities for the upcoming Catholic procession in Manila.
Metro Manila Police Director, Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, said he assigned over 10,000 policemen to maintain security and order throughout the route of the Black Nazarene procession next week.
But ALAM Chairman Jerry Yap said the security preparation will only be successful if the pilgrims cooperate for orderly conduct of the procession.
“Walang masamang mamanata tayo, ngunit mas mabuti kung walang masasaktan o mamamatay dahil sa ating pamamanata,” Yap said. “Iisa lamang ang Diyos natin at Siya ay hindi bayolenteng Diyos na gustong nakakakita ng mga taong sugatan at duguan.”
Yap, also a Black Nazarene devotee, said children should not be included in the event because they tend to get hurt when the devotees push each other.
However, Yap only goes to church and pray earnestly for he believes that wherever he prays, God hears.
“Marami na rin akong hiling na tinupad ng Black Nazarene kaya ngayong taong ito ay mas marami ang aking pagpapasalamat kesa kahilingan,” Yap added.
However, he said he has just another request to the Black Nazarene and that is ALAM to be accredit by the Commission on Elections in aid of the Supreme Court and to win the 2013 elections.
But if the Black Nazarene does not grant his wish this time, Yap said he believes that God has other plan for him.
Meanwhile, Yap together with ALAM President Berteni Causing hope that the “epal-otico” (politicians who use an event to promote themselves) inhibit themselves in the said event.
Yap said they only add to the problem and not real pilgrims but just epals who want to attract voters for the 2013 elections.
Causing on the other hand said all the more the the voters should not vote for the epal-otico because of the overwhelming likelihood that they become corrupt when already in the position.
“Sa laki ng nagastos nila sa pag-epal, siguradong babawiin nila iyon sa taumbayan,” Causing said.
With the meager salaries of government officials, he said it is impossible for them to recover what they spent for only a three-year-term if they will not become corrupt.
In the released schedule of activities, there will be procession of all replicas of the Black Nazarene from 3 p.m. onward on January 7; pahalik (kissing the image) at 1 p.m. on January 8; vigil from 12 noon to 4 a.m. and Holy Mass, to be presided by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle Cardinal at 6 a.m. on January 9.
The Black Nazarene celebration is a 406-year tradition of the Catholic Filipinos. (Nanet Villafania)
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