BULACAN, Philippines – Around 2 to 3 million people are expected to flock towards Bulacan on Saturday, July 26, ahead of the Iglesia ni Cristo Centennial (INC) celebration at the church’s newly-inaugurated Cuidad de Victoria. 

The INC, a homegrown Christian Church, will be celebrating its 100th anniversary on Sunday, July 27. Cuidad de Victoria spans two Bulacan towns: Bocaue and Sta Maria. 

In an interview, Task Force Sentenaryo head and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino said buses bringing between 2 to 3 million INC members from all over the country, some from abroad, have already started arriving. Tolentino said traffic along roads leading to Cuidad de Victoria is expected to peak between 3 to 4 pm on Saturday. 

But as early as Saturday morning, vehicular and human traffic in Bulacan was starting to become heavier. 

INC members pitched tents – including makeshifts ones – along municipal and provincial roads in and around the venue. 

Enterprising locals also made the most of the situation, opening pop-up sari-sari (mini-retail) stores outside their homes.  

“[The heavy traffic] is…a natural consequence….[The centennial is] part of history. Government made extra efforts to really ensure success in staging the event,” said Tolentino, who was appointed head of the high-level task force by President Benigno Aquino III. 

Personnel deployed 

More than 6,000 people from the MMDA, the National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Metro Manila local government units have been deployed to provide security and support for the event. 

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), meanwhile, said at least 23 ambulances are on standby inside and outside Cuidad de Victoria in case of medical emergencies. BFP officer in charge Chief Superintendent Carlito Romero said medical issues are expected, considering the long trips some INC members would take to reach Bulacan.

Seventeen hospitals two to 7 kilometers from Cuidad de Victoria have been identified to cater to people requiring medical attention. 

As of Saturday morning, a two-year-old child, the son of a district minister, was brought to the Bulacan Medical Mission Group Hospital because of a convulsion. Other minor medical cases included 3 reports of lacerations, one insect bite, one headache, two cases of high blood pressure, and one case of dizziness. 

A second wave of heavy traffic is expected Sunday evening when INC members begin leaving Bulacan, between 6 to 7 pm. 

But Tolentino said INC buses will be leaving in shifts, to avoid traffic gridlock in the North Luzon Expressway. Buses bound for Metro Manila will leave first, followed by buses bound for other regions. – Rappler.com