DARWIN Generalao of Barangay Carmen and couple Nick and Bebie Olaivar of Barangay Bayabas credited their devotion to the Black Nazarene for their successes.
The three were among the thousands of Roman Catholic devotees who took part in the “Traslacion” here early morning yesterday.
Police said the procession crowd in the city reached 200,000.
Generalao and the Olaivars were there, squeezing in the crowd that took part in the 2.4-kilometer procession of the “Callejeron” or the replica of the original Black Nazarene statue from the St. Augustine Cathedral to the Nazareno church on CM Recto Avenue.
The procession started at 5:14 am and ended at around 7:15 am.
Generalao, a 35-year old sidewalk vendor from Sta. Cruz, Alco Homes in Carmen, said his life was a mess before he became a Black Nazarene devotee.
He said his life changed “miraculously” when he became a devotee. “Sa wala pa ko mag-devotion ani, lisod kaayo akong kahimtang, pero karon, OK na. Mao na nga ako gyud ni siya nga isayaw-sayaw bisag sakit akong ti-il.”
The Olaivar couple, both in their early fifties, said they received many “blessings” as a result of their devotion, and they managed to make college graduates out of their three children.
“Kalo-oy sa Dios na-professional na ang among tulo ka anak, mao nang pasalamat gyud ni sa Itom nga Nazareno,” Olaivar said.
Despite fears of terrorism, the annual Roman Catholic procession here was generally peaceful.
Chief Insp. Mardy Hortilloza, spokesman of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, said an estimated 200,000 people took part in the Traslacion that was secured by over a thousand police officers and soldiers.
Many, he said, came from different areas in Mindanao and the Visayas.
Hortilloza said people cooperated with authorities and followed the rules, including the strict regulation on the use of drones. He said only the police, military and city hall.
Of the thousands who participated in the procession, only two devotees were rushed to the Northern Mindanap Medical Center after they fainted.
Allan Porcadilla, head of the City Disaster Risk and Management Department identified them as Danilo Kamplian, 53, of Bayabas, and Reynaldo Ebsolo, 66, of Villanueva, Misamis Oriental.
“Wala kuno to silay ka-on kay sayo sila mibiya sa ilang mga balay,” said Porcadilla.
Engr. Nonito Oclarit, assistant department head of the Roads and Traffic Administration, said there was a vehicular traffic congestion on Julio Pacana Street all the way to the bridge linking Puntod and Kauswagan.
Oclarit however said it was manageable “kay wala kaayo mag-dugay, kay dali ra man sad nahuman ang traslacion.” (nitz arancon)
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