Holy Week 2024: CCPO prepares for influx of pilgrims at churches, terminals

Pilgrims gather for the Easter Sunday ‘Sugat’ at the Pardo Church in Cebu City on April 2022. | Rick Gabuya

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Holy Week 2024 will be a busy period for Cebu City police who are tasked of securing large crowds visiting churches and those traveling to their respective hometowns.

This year’s Holy Week will run from Sunday, March 24 until Saturday, March 30.

According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, Deputy Director for Operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), they have already prepared a security plan for Holy Week 2024.

READ: Spend Holy Week in churches, not on beaches – bishop

However, they are still finalizing the plan in order to make sure that all factors are taken into account for the safety of everyone.

“We have to be detailed on it, especially on the accounting of churches para makabalo gyud ta og pila kabuok ang [mo-attend]. Although naa na tay data ana on the accounting of churches but we just have to go back. We just have to recheck basin naay mga bag-o nga mga simbahan pud or naay mga bag-ong kalihokan sa atoang kadaiya nga mga simbahan,” stated Rafter.

Rafter relayed that they will be coordinating with the Archdiocese of Cebu to determine the Holy Week calendar of activities they will be conducting during the religious commemoration.

Moreover, the commanding officers in every police station will be communicating with the churches in their area of responsibility.

READ: Of Semana Santa and churches in southern Cebu

According to Rafter, they will set up Police Assistance Desks (PADs) at the different churches and places of convergence for the public to get prompt assistance.

She added that they are expecting a high number of individuals spending their time outside of their homes during these dates, hence their security measures must be well planned.

Aside from religious facilities, crowds are also expected in bus terminals and ports during this time as they travel back to their provinces for the Holy Week 2024 long weekend.

Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, March 28- 29, are usually holidays.

“So we will really expect people to flock to the different terminals, the ports, especially siguro during the [March] 27,” relayed Rafter.

READ: Holy Week travelers told: Don’t let public know no one’s at home

In light of this, uniformed police personnel will be deployed to these areas in Cebu City to ensure the safety of all passengers.

Rafter also encouraged individuals who will be going back to their hometowns for Holy Week 2024 to travel in advance.

She urged the public to book their travels at an earlier date so as not to crowd terminals.

“Mao na nganong i-encourage nang wala nay mga importante nga pagkabuhaton during the 25, or the 24, or sugod pa gani sa 23…nga mobyahe na para dili na mosabay sa kadaghanon sa tawo,” said Rafter.

The Holy Week is the most solemn period in the Church’s liturgical calendar when Christians relive the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago.