The Philippine National Police (PNP) is on heightened alert to prepare for the grand procession during the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

In an interview with dzBB, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said they have been on heightened alert since December.

“It will continue as long as there are major events ongoing and until those major activities finish we are ensuring that our personnel are 100 percent readily available to deploy that’s why we have not lifted it yet,” Fajardo said over dzBB.

She added that the regional offices of the PNP are also on heightened alert.

Fajardo said the PNP will also be using drones to monitor the Black Nazarene procession.

“The PNP, other agencies and other agencies, and some security forces are going to use drones so we can have an eye in the sky. We will observe the situation through the drones that have a wide reach and we will make sure that while the procession is going on we will be deploying drones,” Fajardo said.

Fajardo also reminded the public that the national police have started enforcing the no-fly zone, no drone zone at no sail zone near Quirino Grandstand and the Quiapo Church and it is effective until January 10.

The PNP will also be monitoring the security situation when Indonesian President Joko Widodo arrives.

“We have sufficient PNP personnel. But it’s not only the PNP who will be monitoring the major events but also the Armed Forces of the Philippines (PNP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG),” she said.

“When it comes to the state visit of Sir Widodo, the Presidential Security Group will be leading. The PNP will just be providing personnel support,” she added.

In a separate radio interview, Manila Police District (MPD) acting director Col. Arnold Thomas Ibay said 10,000 devotees went to the Quirino Grandstand last night to observe the start of the “pahalik” tradition.

Ibay said it started at past 7 pm after a mass was conducted.

He advised the public to go there early morning or late in the afternoon to avoid suffering from the intense heat of the sun.

“We also encourage that they go early because we will enforce road closures on the eve of January 8,” he said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS