The Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) took a proactive step to ensure the safety and order of the upcoming Grand Sinulog festivities by conducting a simulation exercise for the Traslacion motorcade. The dry run, held on the morning of Wednesday, January 7, 2026, aimed to test the flow of the sacred procession along the city's major roads.
Simulation Reveals Key Obstacles
During the exercise, which caused a temporary thinning of traffic in Barangay Subangdaku around 7 a.m., police identified primary obstructions to a smooth motorcade. Accumulated garbage and illegally parked vehicles along the route were flagged as significant concerns. While some parked vehicles were clamped, authorities emphasized that no official road closures or rerouting were implemented during this test.
MCPO Director, Colonel Cirilo Acosta, provided an overall positive assessment of the simulation. He confirmed that the convoy's travel time from the Innodata Subangdaku area to the National Shrine of Saint Joseph in Barangay Centro is estimated to take between 15 to 20 minutes, a duration that may vary based on the crowd size during the actual event.
Massive Security Deployment Planned
For the main event scheduled for January 15 and 16, 2026, a substantial security force will be mobilized. Acosta stated that a total of 1,050 personnel from the MCPO, other law enforcement agencies, barangay security officers, and criminology students will be deployed. Security will maintain a 24/7 presence at the church until the send-off ceremonies are completed.
This year's Traslacion holds special significance as it will span two days for the first time. The holy images of Señor Santo Niño de Cebu, Virgen de Guadalupe, and Saint Joseph will have overnight stays in both Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City as part of the traditional motorcade transferring them between cities.
Coordination and Public Appeal
Extensive inter-agency coordination has been underway, involving the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the Sinulog Foundation, and officials from the National Shrine of St. Joseph. The group conducted inspections of turnover areas and procession routes to pinpoint potential security gaps and logistical issues, such as damaged roads and dangling wires.
Colonel Acosta also made a direct appeal to the public. "Our request to the public is to maintain the integrity of the convoy," he said, stressing that unauthorized vehicles should not merge into the official procession to prevent delays.
A second dry run focusing on the Lapu-Lapu City segment of the route is set for Friday, January 9, to finalize all security preparations for the reception of the sacred images.
