Cortes issues guidelines for Mandaue’s Misa de Gallo

Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes | file photo

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines – Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes issued Executive Order No. 91 on Friday (Dec. 11, 2020), establishing the guidelines to be followed during the conduct of Misa de Gallo in the city.

Under the EO, persons below 15 years old and those above 65 years old, pregnant women, those with comorbidities or other health risks are prohibited to attend the Masses.

Masses will start at 4:30 a.m

“Wala pa man say sakyanan ana, wala nato giusab ato’ng curfew hours, niya ato’ng gilikayan ana ang mga manggawas niya lahi diay ang tuyo, dili diay musimba,” said lawyer Lizer Malate, head of the city’s emergency operations center (EOC).

The EO also mandates that the entrance and the exit points of the churches and other satellite areas that the Misa de Gallo will be held must be regulated so that no passageway should be used as both entrance and exit for parishioners to help maintain social distancing.

The number of persons allowed should also not exceed 50 percent of the venue’s total capacity and that churches should have satellite areas where Masses can also be held like open spaces, covered courts, gyms, and barangay complexes, among others.

Kissing and touching of the images are likewise prohibited and parishioners should wear face masks and shields and observe social distancing.

Churchgoers are likewise encouraged to watch a live stream of the Misa de Gallo in the comfort of their home, to avoid the risk of getting infected with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

” Ang importante ana ato’ng pagsalig, ang aton’g pagtuo,” said Malate./rcg