Cebu City awaits IATF’s decision on Lent guidelines

This photo from the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nicolas de Tolentino Parish of a police officer praying outside the church is making waves online.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City will wait for the decision on the Interagency Task Force (IATF) with regards to Lenten season activities this year.

Mayor Edgardo Labella said the city will need the decision of the IATF before making any definite plans for the Holy Week activities starting March 28 to April 3, 2021.

The IATF is yet to give out the guidelines on the allowed activities for the Holy Week, and the mayor said the city will comply with any restrictions.

If there will not be any, this will be challenging as the city is home to over 35 churches and Way of The Cross spots in the mountain barangays.

The city. government will begin talks with the Archdiocese of Cebu to discuss how the crowd will be regulated by then.

“Ato pa nang idiscuss. Icoordinate sad nato sa archdiocese. In the same manner sa Misa de Gallo, ang tanang religious practices, ato pung icoordinate sa archdiocese,” said the mayor.

(We will have to discuss and coordinate that with the archdiocese in the same manner that we have coordinated the Misa de Gallo and other religious practices before)

In the preliminary talks with the archdiocese, the city government has already raised concern on the crowd, on the potential areas that will need assistance and other related activities such as the Buhing Kalbaryo organized by Vice Mayor Michael Rama.

The Buhing Kalbaryo is a play that relives the Passion of Christ and is often a well-attended procession coupled with prayer.

There are no final decisions yet if these usual activities pre-pandemic will be observed this year, but the mayor said the city will coordinate with the Church for all such activities.

Aside from the Way of the Cross, many Catholics will also participate in the Visita Iglesia and the Easter Vigil during the Holy Week, which would often last until midnight.

Since there is a curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., these activities must be considered as well for the adjustment of the allowable time to go out for the residents. /rcg