There will be no Masses in all churches under the Archdiocese of Manila, which covers five cities in Metro Manila, for six days starting on Saturday after the alert on COVID-19 was raised to Code Red Sub-level 2.
“We are enjoined to avoid large gatherings of people to avert the further spread of the virus. We heed this call not with panic but with care for charity to others and the common good,” said Apostolic Administrator and Bishop Broderick Pabillo in a Pastoral Letter dated March 13.
“Hence in the Archdiocese of Manila, I dispense all the faithful from the obligation of going to Mass this Sunday,” Pabillo said of the area that covers the cities of Manila, Makati, San Juan, Mandaluyong and Pasay.
“There will be no public celebration of the Holy Mass and no public activities in all the churches in the Archdiocese for seven day, starting Saturday, March 14, till Friday, March 20,” he added.
Attendance in Masses discouraged
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has urged the public to stop attending Masses and to stop going to cinemas.
“We will stop it for now because that is where the virus will come from. It is like a petri dish,” said Duque when asked if the Health department will recommend a stop to attending Masses.
Two options
The Health department is eyeing two options to ensure a continuing learning in schools following the month-long COVID-19 quarantine in Metro Manila.
The agency is working on a “transmutation formula” for students in Metro Manila and in other cities with class suspension, where the grades in the first three quarters will be averaged, Education Undersecretary Alain del Pascua said in a briefing.
Online tests and learning through mobile devices is also being considered, he said.
Coverage expanded
The Bureau of Corrections on Friday expanded the coverage of the suspension of visitation rights of inmates from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City and its six other penal colonies to control the spread of COVID-19.
Earlier, the bureau implemented a suspension of the visitation for families and loved ones of inmates that started on March 11 and to last for one week.
Continuous delivery
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development on Friday assured the public of a continuing delivery of public service despite the COVID-19 scare.
Secretary Eduardo del Rosario issued a number of guidelines, including enforcing a four-day work week, to ensure the continued delivery of public service as well as the agency’s policy-making functions.
“There will be a continuing public service, normal functions of the department will be done with enough workforce in the office to adequately address the concerns of our stakeholders,” Del Rosario said.
Plea for workers
The labor group Partido Manggagawa on Friday urged the government to ensure the workers’ welfare and civil liberties once the so-called community quarantine is imposed in Metro Manila starting March 15.
“President Duterte’s order to lock down Metro Manila for 30 days opens the way for workers’ rights and civil liberties to be violated. Freedom of assembly should not be sacrificed since community organizations and civil society groups should be able to meet and deliberate on urgent matters including a proper covid response,” Rene Magtubo, PM national chairman, said in a statement.
“We wanted to hear President Duterte mobilize public and private resources, especially health personnel, to combat COVID 19, but instead all we heard was the mobilization of police and soldiers. Will checkpoints be manned by health workers with test kits or just police with guns?” With Macon Ramos-Araneta, Rey E. Requejo, Willie Casas and Vito Barcelo