Manaoag Expects 165-T Visitors This Holy Week

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANAOAG, Pangasinan – This town expects 165, 000 pilgrims, devotees, and penitents to converge here from various parts of the country from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday.

Strong police presence in Manaoag, Pangasinan this Holy Week. Photo is internet grab

Big trucks are banned too to enter the town center on this period, according to Mayor Jeremy Agerico Rosario.

“Well, by average wala pang Holy Week 55,000 (people) multiply mo by three kaya marami ang ini-expect kaya we encourage as they go to the Basilica na mag face mask na lang. Sigurado na expect traffic,” the Mayor told Northern Watch Newspaper.

Rosario, an anesthesiologist, said to mitigate the vehicular traffic snarl in the Poblacion area and around the periphery of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag buses are barred too to enter and they are relegated to park near the cemetery.

There are two public and one private cemeteries in Barangay Babasit.

"Diad (there in) front ng sementeryo spacious doon. from there puwede ng maglakad mga tao to church around 500 meters lang, " Manaoag resident Ric Lopez told this newspaper.

Manaoag Mayor Ming Rosario welcomes the Bisekleta Iglesia of the provincial police office leads by its Director Col. Jeff Fanged.

He cited that starting Thursday morning, the augmentation forces from various sectors to secure the safety of the visitors would be arriving in this 3,500 square meters’ town and with its almost 80,000 population.

The security forces here would swell from 60 to more than 130 policemen where most of them hailed from the provincial police office in capital town Lingayen, Pangasinan. They would be bringing their Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit and their sniffing dogs to deter if not clear any threats from the enemies of the State.

“Para po maiseguro ang seguridad ng lahat sa haharapin nating Semana Santa especially Huwebes, Biyernes, Sabado, Linggo”.

The mayor said the Red Cross would provide for its personnel inside the Basilica. Other multiplier forces are coming here, too.

The local government unit here readied four of its ambulances, medical doctors, and responders. Their command post is located at the municipal hall.

Aling Rosa, a restaurant owner near the town hall, told Northern Watch Newspaper that the Holy Week bode well for their businesses here because penitents would be trudging here as far as the 27 kilometers Lingayen, Pangasinan and would consume the foods they sell here.

Rosario said even the trade fair here that put shop earlier to commemorate the April 26 fiesta of the town would benefit to the influx of the 165, 000 church goers.