MANILA – PLDT Inc said it would temporarily shut mobile phone services of Smart, TNT and Sun in areas along the route of the Black Nazarene procession starting late Wednesday to comply with a directive from regulators.

Mobile service in Quiapo, Manila will be temporarily suspended starting Jan. 8. Some cell sites in of Pasay, San Juan, Mandaluyong, Makati, Malabon, Caloocan and Quezon City that are near the procession route will also temporarily cease to operate, the telco said in an advisory.

"Services will be restored as soon as we get the go-signal from the authorities," the statement said.

[08 Jan 2020] In the interest of public safety, upon the instructions of the NTC, we are temporarily shutting down mobile phone services of Smart, TNT, and Sun in Quiapo, Manila and along the route of the Black Nazarene procession on Wednesday, 08 January 2020. #Traslacion2020 pic.twitter.com/2hDOnhblvs — Smart Newsroom (@SmartNewsroom) January 8, 2020

Millions of devotees are expected to participate in the procession that will return the image of the Black Nazarene to Quiapo Church from the Quirino Grandstand. The procession is expected to start before dawn Thursday.