An estimated 120,000 devotees joined a Catholic procession and paraded statues of the Santo Niño, which is believed to grant miracles, during festivities in Tondo.
The procession started when the rose-covered floats bearing the images of the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and the Child Jesus left the Santo Niño de Tondo Parish Church around 4:15 a.m.
More than a thousand policemen secured the centuries-old image of the Child Jesus as hundreds of devotees paraded and chanted “Viva!” as they danced and held replicas of the icon.
Mayor Joseph Estrada on Sunday attributed to the Santo Niño all the blessings that Manila and its citizens have been receiving as he joined the two-day celebrations of the patron’s feast in the city.
The feast is celebrated on the third Sunday of January, although related activities are held as early as Saturday. The focus of the festivities is Tondo and Pandacan.
Andanar said the Filipinos call to the Santo Niño for help especially when faced with major challenges.
“We are a very faithful country and number one for most people is God,” Andanar said.
“For the majority of the Filipinos, we draw our strength from the Santo Niño. Sometimes, if we do not have anyone else to hold on to, people go to Church and pray. And this really is another religious event that we cannot pass up.”
Meanwhile, Andanar said President Rodrigo Duterte will not be attending the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump but instead will be represented by the Filipino ambassador to the United States.