Pahalik draws over 22K devotees at Quirino Grandstand

Devotees gathered at Quirino Grandstand on Tuesday for Pahalik, an annual tradition where they pray and kiss or touch the cross of Jesus Christ's image.

By Wednesday morning, more than 22,327 individuals had participated in the event since Monday evening, with lines stretching from Quirino Grandstand to Roxas Boulevard, indicating continued high turnout but also longer queues compared to previous nights.

Ramil, a 43-year-old devotee from Carmona, Cavite, stood barefoot in line for hours to show his devotion, arriving at 7:30 a.m. and touching the image around 2:40 p.m., emphasizing this year's crowd is much larger than last year.

MMDA officials conducted an inspection on Tuesday to ensure safety measures for millions of expected devotees over the next few days by adding ten more tents to the initial 30 set up; some families like Juliet Culajara's decided not to line up due to overcrowding and opted for a picnic instead.

The Feast of Jesus Nazareno will culminate in a Traslacion procession from Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church on Thursday, with millions expected to participate.

Pahalik offers devotees an alternative way to honor the suffering Christ, providing a less crowded, less exhausting, and safer option compared to joining the grand Traslacion procession.