Traslacion 2019: Route, Activities, And Road Closures

5 min read By eCompareMo on January 8, 2019

For the past 20 years, it has been an annual tradition for devout Filipino Catholics to join the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene.

The Traslacion is the largest procession of the 17th-century statue of the dark-skinned Jesus, believed to be miraculous by millions of devotees all over the Philippines.

Expecting approximately 12 million people jostling at one another just to touch, kiss or even rub bits of cloth or towels on the replica of the Black Nazarene, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Manila Police District (MPD), with the help of the Manila Metropolitan Development Authority (MMDA) and local officials set some guidelines to avoid mishap among joiners and commuters.

As Catholic devotees are expected to flock the streets of Manila starting today, we have provided for this guide to everything that you need to know about this year’s feast of the Black Nazarene.

Schedule of activities for Traslacion 2019

January 7 (Monday):

1:30 p.m.: Blessing and procession of replicas at the Quiapo Church

January 8 (Tuesday):

7 a.m.: Send-off Mass for the Tranlacion 2019 volunteers at the Quirino Grandstand

8 a.m.: Start of “Pahalik” at the Quirino Grandstand

5 p.m.: Evening prayer and start of vigil at the Quirino Grandstand

January 9 (Wednesday):

Midnight: Fiesta Mass at the Quirino Grandstand

3 a.m.: Start of hourly Masses at the Quiapo Church

4 a.m.: Start of morning prayer at the Quirino Grandstand

5 a.m.: Start of Translacion 2019 at the Quirino Grandstand

January 10 (Thursday):

Around 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.: Estimated time of arrival of the replica of the Black Nazarene at the Quiapo Church.

(Read: Your Career And Financial Horoscope This Year Of The Earth Pig)

What is the Traslacion 2019 procession route?

The 2019 Traslacion procession will follow the route from last year. Like last year, the procession will avoid crossing the Lagusnilad Bridge for safety reasons.

That said, this will be the route for Translacion 2019:

From QUIRINO GRANDSTAND the procession will continue and turn  ->

LEFT at KATIGBAK DRIVE then ->

STRAIGHT to P. BURGOS STREET then ->

LEFT at TAFT AVENUE thru JONES BRIDGE then ->

RIGHT at DASMARIÑAS STREET then ->

RIGHT to PLAZA STA. CRUZ then ->

LEFT at CARLOS PALANCA STREET and will continue ->

UNDER QUEZON BRIDGE then ->

LEFT to QUEZON BOULEVARD then ->

RIGHT to ARLEGUI STREET then ->

RIGHT to FRATERNAL STREET then ->

RIGHT TO VERGARA STREET then ->

LEFT to DUQUE DE ALBA STREET then ->

LEFT TO CASTILLEJOS STREET then ->

LEFT to FARNECIO STREET then ->

RIGHT TO ARLEGUI STREET then ->

LEFT to NEPOMUCENO STREET then ->

LEFT to CONCEPCION AGUILA STREET then ->

RIGHT to CARCER STREET then ->

RIGHT to HIDALGO STREET THRU PLAZA DEL CARMEN then ->

LEFT to BILIBID VIEJO THRU GIL PUYAT then ->

LEFT to J. P. DE GUZMAN STREET then ->

RIGHT to HIDALGO STREET then ->

LEFT to BARBOSA STREET (BAUTISTA STREET) -> RIGHT to ARLEGUI STREET then ->

LEFT to QUEZON BOULEVARD then ->

RIGHT to PALANCA STREET and will continue ->

UNDER QUEZON BRIDGE then ->

RIGHT to VILLALOBOS THRU PLAZA MIRANDA then -> Ingress at QUIAPO CHURCH

Will there be road closures and rerouting?

Yes. And here are the one’s motorists and commuters should be aware of. Make sure to plan your daily route accordingly.

January 8

As of 5 a.m., due to the “Pahalik” of the Black Nazarene at the Quirino Grandstand, the following were closed to traffic:

• Independence Road
• Katigbak Drive
• South Drive

Alternate routes

• If you are coming from Bonifacio Drive and Padre Burgos Street going to Independence Road, you can drive straight to Roxas Boulevard.
• If you are coming from Roxas Boulevard and T.M. Kalaw going to Independence Road, you can take Roxas Boulevard.
• If you are heading to Manila Hotel or H2O Hotel, you can use the one-lane access along Katigbak Drive.

Additionally, as of 10 a.m. onwards on January 8, the following roads will also be closed to traffic:

• Northbound Lane of Quezon Bridge and McArthur from Bonifacio Shrine
• Katigbak Drive and South Drive (with one-lane access to Manila Hotel and H2O Hotel
• Taft Avenue from Ayala Boulevard to Bonifacio Shrine

(Read: Road Safety Education Bill, Motorcycle Taxis: Two Ways Philippine Roads Could Improve In 2019)

January 9

From 12 a.m. onwards, the following routes will be closed to traffic:

• Northbound lane of Quezon Boulevard (Quiapo) from Taft Avenue or Ayala Boulevard
• Southbound lane of Quezon Boulevard (Quiapo) from A. Mendoza Street or Fugoso Street and España Avenue or P. Campa Street
• Whole stretch of McArthur, Jones and Quezon Bridge
• Roxas Boulevard from Katigbak Drive to T.M Kalaw Street

Recommended alternate routes are as follows:

• All buses using Taft Avenue northbound shall turn right to Ayala Avenue to point of destination.
• Heavy vehicles or Cargo Trucks shall take President Osmeña Highway to President Quirino Avenue to Nagtahan via AH Lacson Avenue to Capulong Street and vice-versa.
• Vehicles coming from Quezon City using the stretch of España Avenue shall turn right to P. Campa Street, then turn left to A. Mendoza Street, then turn right to Fugoso Street, then turn right to CM Recto Avenue or left to Nicanor Reyes Street, then turn right to CM Recto Avenue to point of destination.
• Vehicles coming from Legarda Street shall turn right to CM Recto Avenue or turn left to Mendiola Street to their point of destination.
• Vehicles coming from Caloocan City using Rizal Avenue shall turn right to Fugoso Street or CM Recto Avenue, to point of destination.
• Vehicles coming from Reina Regente Street using southbound lane shall turn right to San Fernando Street or make a U-turn at Plaza Ruiz to point of destination.
• Light vehicles intending to use the stretch of Bonifacio Drive and Roxas Boulevard southbound lane shall turn around Anda Circle going to Delpan or Moriones to point of destination.

As per the Manila Police District (MPD), closure of the said streets will be in effect only as the procession approaches such places and will be opened immediately once the tail end of the procession has passed through.

Sources: Rappler, Philnews.ph, CNN Philippines, The Philippine Star