Traffic officers in the Philippines will be required to wear adult diapers when Pope Francis visits the country next week, the New York Daily News reported.
The 2,000 officers who will be standing by during the pontiff's 5-day trip to Manila, the country's capital, from Jan. 15 to 19 will be given diapers to wear. Officers are being told to relieve themselves in the diapers instead of leaving their posts to find a bathroom for security reasons.
The idea is to prevent the streets from becoming completely congested.
Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, said the plan will be tested out on 800 enforcers who work almost day-long shifts during the annual Black Nazarene procession. This is the first time diapers will be worn by officers, he said.
The Black Nazarene attracts hundreds of thousands of mostly male Roman Catholic worshippers who carry a black statue of Jesus Christ that dates back centuries. Believers state that it holds magic powers that can bring good health and fortune to those in need, ABC News reported.
Tolentino added that it will be extremely difficult to find a place to go to the bathroom when millions show up to see Pope Francis administer a Mass at Rizal Park on Jan. 18.
"If you attend an event that will last for 24 hours, you cannot go around looking for a (portable toilet)," Tolentino said.
