Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna expressed gratitude to all government personnel who helped maintain a generally peaceful and orderly Traslacion 2025 as she commended the joint team of the city’s Department of Public Services and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for their swift and efficient cleanup efforts.
However, Lacuna lamented isolated incidents, including a clash between devotees and police on Ayala Bridge.
“Our police officers had no ill intentions. They were simply trying to prevent chaos and were following the agreed-upon plan of all involved government agencies to ensure the smooth flow of the Traslacion,” Lacuna said.
“It is unfortunate that some people were injured in an incident that could have been avoided if everyone had listened and followed the instructions of our authorities,” she added.
Reports said that one police officer was injured when some devotees, ignoring lawful orders, breached police lines in an attempt to get closer to the Nazarene.
Lacuna praised the sweepers who diligently followed the procession route, cleaning up the streets immediately. The large volume of trash left behind by the hundreds of thousands of devotees who kept vigil on the eve of the feast at Burnham Green was also quickly cleared.
Considering the millions of participants, Lacuna deemed Traslacion 2025 a success, with no reported deaths or serious injuries.
Meantime, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) declared Traslacion 2025 a generally peaceful and orderly event.
“The Nazareno 2025 concluded as a generally safe and secure religious undertaking showcasing faith, unity, and effective public safety,” NCRPO chief Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin said in a statement.
The procession lasted more than 20 hours, with an estimated 7.5 million devotees participating, according to the NCRPO, which deployed more than 12,000 highly trained uniformed personnel, reinforced by over 2,000 allied personnel from government agencies, local government units and medical teams.
