Preparations for the centennial coronation of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag on April 22 this year are in full swing, according to the municipal government.
Manaoag Mayor Jeremy Agerico Rosario, in a Wednesday interview, said preparations are about 30 percent complete, with most physical setups underway inside the Minor Basilica.
He assured that everything would be ready before the historic event.
“Everything points to the preparation of the Centennial Canonical Coronation. This may be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, events that will happen in our town as we witness all together the coronation on its 100th year of Our Lady of Manaoag,” he said.
The event will be attended by nearly 500 priests and bishops from across the country, as well as devotees, he said.
“The hotels here are fully booked as early as last year. The overflow of visitors looking for accommodations already reached nearby towns,” he added.
Rosario said special committees to address security will be created in coordination with the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Army, and the Special Weapons and Tactics unit, among others.
Among the biggest challenges is foot and vehicle traffic, he said, which is being addressed by using open spaces around the central business district for parking.
“We will be requesting the provincial government, through Governor Ramon Guico III, to use a portion of the four-hectare land, including its unpaved areas, as a parking area,” he said.
A truck ban and rerouting plans will also be implemented days before the actual event.
Rosario said they are asking bus companies operating the Manila-Manaoag-Manila route to provide point-to-point trips, as the number of motorists and cars is expected to decline.
On April 22, the mayor said the ceremony will start at 9 a.m. in front of the basilica, where a makeshift altar will be made.
“That’s where Our Lady in Manaoag will be coronated, and all the religious and other guests will be here in the patio. We will be putting up LED (light-emitting diode) monitors so everyone can witness the coronation,” Rosario said.
A procession of the real image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag will also be held.
Rosario recalled that Doña Josefa Edralin Marcos, grandmother of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., led the coronation of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag during the golden canonical coronation celebration in 1975.
The Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag is regarded as miraculous and has drawn many devotees and pilgrims, establishing Manaoag as the leading faith tourism site in Pangasinan. (PNA)
