The police have estimated this year’s Holy Week crowd in Abong-Abong to reach if not double the pre-pandemic level at around 30,000 or more Catholic faithful, and 5,000 others to converge at Lumayang’s famed Monte Santo as this will be the first open-event of Lent after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aside from checking the physical preparations and security measures in place, the mayor also inspected the Mobile Command Center (MCC) set up at the foot of the Tomb of Unknown Soldiers, to monitor the situation in the area round the clock.
Christopher Mandi, chief of the City Security Unit, said the MCC and a drone will be deployed to Abong-Abong for the entire duration of the Holy Week event. Images from the cameras and the drone can be viewed in real time on the monitors inside the MCC right on site in Abong-Abong (helmet area), according to Mandi. Some personnel have already started installing the fiber optic cables on target sites preparatory to the deployment of MCC.
The City Government of Zamboanga assures the security of the worship places, however, they are reminding the public to observe the security measures and be vigilant at all times during this season. (RVC/EDT/MLE/PIA9-Zamboanga City/With reports from ZC-PIO)
