Metro Manila, Philippines – Four people reportedly died while responders gave medical aid to over a thousand of devotees during the activities for the annual Traslacion, the country’s largest religious gathering, the Quiapo Church said Saturday, Jan. 10.
Father Robert Arellano, the church’s Nazareno 2026 spokesperson, confirmed on Saturday afternoon that the fatalities were three devotees and a photojournalist on the job.
“Ang paanyaya natin [Our invitation is that], we have to include them in our prayers,” the priest said.
He did not provide details but said this year’s Traslacion can be considered among the highest casualty counts.
Ahead of the briefing, Dr. Cynthia Versoza of Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRRMMC) said three devotees have died in the hospital.
In a radio show of the Department of Health, Versoza said one person succumbed to heart attack, while two others were found unconscious during the procession and declared dead on arrival.
Tabloid photographer Itoh Son was rushed to the Ospital ng Maynila after people found him lifeless near Station 5 of the Manila Police District. He had a heart attack.
“Masasabi natin hindi naman siya ganun kadugo [We can say that this was not a bloody event],” Arellano said of the death tally, adding that they are grateful that there was no stampede.
“Considering the number of participants in the Traslacion with the gravity and action that we can see all over the course of the procession, talagang malungkot [it was saddening] in our part that we have this kind of incident,” he said.
Organizers said more than nine million devotees took part in Traslacion activities beginning at the Pahalik on Thursday at the Quirino Grandstand.
Overwhelmed medical teams
The procession took nearly 31 hours covering 5.8 kilometers on Manila’s streets.
Initially, the image of the Black Nazarene was supposed to temporarily stay at the San Sebastian Church after the “Dungaw rite.” The decision came as the Traslacion was hours delayed andthe “Dungaw” happened a day after the grand parade began.
“Ang ating mga doktor ay hindi na rin kaya, ang mga nurses, health workers, quick responders, dahil nga naman 24 hours mahigit na silang tinitingnan ang ating mga may sakit…marami na ang nasaktan at marami ang may seryosong kalagayan,” Father Ramon Jade Licuanan, Quiapo Church rector and parish priest, told the crowd.
[Translation: Our doctors, nurses, health workers, and quick responders are overwhelmed after attending to patients for over 24 hours. Many have been hurt, and many are in serious condition.]
Still, devotees pushed through with the procession.
Citing the church’s database, Arellano said 1,057 devotees needed medical assistance. He said they are all safe.
The Philippine Red Cross reported attending to more than 800 patients and transported 19 individuals who required further care to hospitals. Over 2,000 devotees were given welfare assistance on the procession route.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health said its teams attended to 1,019 devotees, of which 390 were injured in the sea of humanity, crushed between the devotees and the andas, or fell from the carriage.
The agency also reported that some had toes cut after the wheels of the andas ran over them.
Manila authorities estimated the crowd following the “andas” peaked at 300,000 at the Plaza del Carmen.
Arellano said organizers are mulling a shorter procession route next year.
The Philippine National Police said monitoring safety indicators, including the number of reported injuries, is key to improving safety next year.
The PNP described the conduct of Traslacion 2026 as “peaceful.”
