The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has finalized a major security blueprint for the anticipated "Walk with Mary" procession scheduled for the early hours of Thursday, January 15, 2026. Authorities expect the event to draw thousands of Catholic devotees to the streets of Cebu City.
Massive Security Deployment for Public Safety
According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Jose Losbaños, the CCPO Information Officer, more than one thousand police personnel will be deployed on the ground. This force will be significantly bolstered by partnerships with other government agencies. These include the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Army, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO), Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO), and local force multipliers like barangay tanods.
To ensure comprehensive coverage, the CCPO will receive augmentation from neighboring regions. A contingent of 200 personnel is coming from the Negros Island Region (NIR), while another 301 officers will arrive from Police Regional Office (PRO) 8. This combined security detail will oversee the Walk with Mary event and the subsequent Traslacion to Mandaue following the mass at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.
Learning from Past Crowd Management Challenges
Police planners have placed a strong emphasis on detailed crowd management strategies, particularly along the route from the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda to the Basilica. A primary objective is to prevent any possibility of a stampede. This focus comes in the wake of severe congestion experienced during the recent "Walk with Jesus" event, which highlighted areas for improvement.
Officials have specifically noted that the area near Abellana National High School is a potential bottleneck due to the ongoing construction of a BRT Station. This has prompted security forces to devise and implement more effective traffic and pedestrian flow plans to avoid a repeat of past congestion issues during the large-scale religious activity.
