The group tasked to ensure the security of the 2016 International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) will conduct a security dry-run on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
They will visit seven churches which will visited by many Catholic faithful for the Holy Week activities as well as future participants of the religious congress, said Samson Dasoc, coordinator of the Unified and Parish Security Group.
These churches are also on the list of Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma’s Visita Iglesia (church visitation) this year.
In the list. The Redemptorist Church in Cebu City is one of the churches to be visited by delegates of the 2016 International Eucharistic Congress. CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA
They are the Basilica Minore del Sto Niño, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Sto. Rosario Church, Sacred Heart Parish, Redemptorist Church, Capitol parish church and Asilo Milagrosa Church.
Dasoc said they will augment security in these churches and deploy security guards in churches that need them like the Asilo Milagrosa, Sacred Heart and Redemptorist churches.
On Good Friday, aside from security guards, they will deploy crowd control teams and emergency response units.
They will be supported by the Philippine National Police in their security operations.
The IEC in January 2016 is expected to draw 15,000 foreign and local delegates, according to Margie Matheu, executive secretary of Pastoral Planning Board of the Cebu Archdiocese.