MANAOAG, Pangasinan – As April 22 draws near, the quiet town of Manaoag is steadily transforming in anticipation of a moment that comes only once in a century: the Centennial Canonical Coronation of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag.

Inside the Minor Basilica, physical preparations are already underway. Mayor Jeremy Agerico Rosario said the town is about 30 percent ready, with construction and logistical set-ups progressing as planned. He expressed confidence that everything will be in place well before the historic celebration.

“This will be one of the biggest events, if not the biggest, in the history of our town,” Rosario said. “We will witness together the 100th year coronation of Our Lady of Manaoag.”

The centennial celebration is expected to draw nearly 500 priests and bishops from across the country, along with thousands of devotees and pilgrims who regard Our Lady of Manaoag as a source of healing and hope. Demand for accommodations reflects the scale of the gathering: hotels in Manaoag have been fully booked since last year, with visitors now securing rooms in neighboring towns.

Behind the scenes, the municipal government is working to ensure that the event unfolds safely and smoothly. Special committees are being organized in close coordination with the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Army, and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) units to manage security and crowd control.

Managing the expected surge of people and vehicles remains one of the town’s biggest challenges. To ease congestion, the local government plans to convert open spaces around the central business district into temporary parking areas. It has also sought the assistance of the provincial government, requesting permission from Governor Ramon Guico III to use a portion of a four-hectare provincial property, including unpaved sections, for parking.

Traffic measures will extend beyond the town proper. A truck ban and traffic rerouting schemes will be implemented days ahead of the coronation, while bus companies operating the Manila–Manaoag–Manila route are being encouraged to offer point-to-point services to reduce the number of private vehicles on the road.

On the morning of April 22, the heart of the celebration will unfold in front of the basilica. At 9 a.m., coronation rites will begin at a specially constructed altar, with religious leaders and invited guests gathered in the patio. LED screens will be installed across the area to allow thousands of devotees to witness the ceremony.

A solemn procession of the original image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag will also form part of the centennial rites, recalling a long tradition of Marian devotion deeply woven into the town’s history.

Mayor Rosario also reflected on the past, recalling that Doña Josefa Edralin Marcos, grandmother of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., led the coronation during the golden canonical coronation in 1975.

For generations, Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag has been revered as miraculous, drawing pilgrims from all over the country and beyond. As the centennial coronation approaches, Manaoag once again prepares to welcome the faithful—this time, for a historic celebration that honors a century of devotion and faith.