Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno confirmed on Wednesday, January 6, the planned 10 PM motorcade to mark the Black Nazarene observance scheduled this Saturday.

“I saw the route plans and noted that the motorcade would begin at 10 PM at the onset of curfew hours. But we have to make sure that we prevent the convergence of people in the streets that will result in mass infection. And I’m sure the Black Nazarene Church understood that and they share our concern to protect the public from unnecessary risk,” Moreno said on Wednesday’s press briefing.

Scheduling the motorcade at 10 PM was proposed by the Black Nazarene parish church based on last year’s Good Friday motorcade when Church attendance was restricted at the onset of the state of public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proposed motorcade route will reportedly be presented to Mayor Moreno for approval on Thursday.

Moreno said City Hall officials led by acting City Health Officer Dr. Lorraine Nery, acting City Administrator Teddy Sabuga-a, Office of Community Affairs chief Oliver Egypto, and City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Department (CDRRMD) chief Nic Jabagat met with church officials in a dialogue to map out plans for the event.

“The church requested a road closure but the problem is the route covers a national highway and the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) that the closure will cause traffic problems. Our priority is to protect the faithful and the public at large from COVID-19 infection. Public health should be protected even while we respect and support their observance (of the Black Nazarene event),” Moreno said. (Stephen Capillas/City Information Office)