Black Nazarene devotees who will get the itch to post selfies during the annual Traslacion will not be able to do so because cellular phone signals will be cut in areas where the procession will pass.

HOT ITEMS A vendor displays small images of the Black Nazarene in his stall near the Quiapo Church on Wednesday as preparations for the Traslacion, one of the country’s biggest religious festivals, reach fever pitch. PHOTO BY BOY JOSUE
HOT ITEMS A vendor displays small images of the Black Nazarene in his stall near the Quiapo Church on Wednesday as preparations for the Traslacion, one of the country’s biggest religious festivals, reach fever pitch. PHOTO BY BOY JOSUE

Security officers said on Wednesday that there will be no phone signals during the entire duration of the Black Nazarene procession on Monday for security reasons.

Lieutenant Col. Llewellyn Binasoy said there is no threat to the religious festivities but phone signals will be jammed just the same.

The annual procession is expected to draw at least 15 million devotees this year.

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“For the areas or the route of the procession, there will be no signal. We hope you understand that’s part of our security preparations,” Binasoy said in a news briefing.

Flying drones during the religious event is also prohibited.

The procession commemorates the transfer of the image of the suffering Christ to the Quiapo church from its original site in what is now the Luneta.

The National Capital Region Police Office had said that 2,000 policemen will be deployed to secure the millions of devotees.