Bring raincoats, umbrellas for Misa de Gallo — Labella
Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella. | file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella is urging parishioners to bring umbrellas and raincoats when attending the Simbang Gabii and Misa de Gallo in the next few nights as the Tropical Depression (TD) Vicky is set to pass southern and central Cebu within the next 24 hours.
Labella said umbrellas and raincoats may be required to avoid people crowding when rain falls as they seek shelter under roofed buildings nearby.
The city government noticed in their constant monitoring of the Simbang Gabi that people attending the mass outside have a tendency to crowd during rains.
With this, the mayor said the parishioners will be required to bring umbrellas each so there will be no need to seek shelter in nearby establishments or buildings.
The third day of the Misa de Gallo showed better compliance from the public as social distancing was successfully implemented in the major churches in the city including the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.
“Murag mas nipatuo na atong katawhan karon. Hinaot magpadayon. Niubos na atong active cases karon og unta moubos pa,” said Labella.
Even though the city has only 88 active cases of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) left, it is preparing for a rise of the cases due to the Misa de Gallo.
The mayor said they are hoping the cases will not rise in the next two weeks, but considering the struggles of the first two days of the Misa de Gallo, there should be an expected impact.
The Emergency Operations Office (EOC) is already on stand-by for a sudden rise in the cases and another intensified set of contact tracing if necessary.
“That is why our policy is really ‘No mask, no shield, no mass.’ Kung wala sila gamask og ga face shield, dili gyod sila pwede motambong sa misa,” said the mayor.
Currently, at least 56 out of the 80 barangays in the city has zero transmission of the COVID-19. Four of these barangays have never been touched by the virus.
Labella reminds the barangays that those with zero cases by December 31, 2020, may get financial assistance of P100,000 by next year.
The mayor hopes this will encourage the barangays to work harder to have zero cases by the end of the year. /rcg
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