TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, May 8 (PIA) -- Tubigon town, which now ranks 6th in Bohol towns with most alarming coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affectation, has restored religious gatherings in its chapel just as barangays in the town prepare elaborate activities to usher in their barangay fiestas.
However, to ensure that parishioners continue to strictly practice minimum public health standards and protocols adopted by the Municipal Inter Agency Task Force (MIATF) during the Modified General Community Quarantine, Mayor William Jao has entrusted the responsibility to the church leaders, hermanos and hermanas as well as congregation heads for their faithful’s safety.
It may be recalled that through a memorandum issued on April 23, and anticipating the flurry of religious activities as the town prepares for the town fiesta, the town ruled that religious gathering, specifically the daily novenario and the nightly activities that usher in the barangay fiestas, have to stop temporarily.
Exempted from the initial memorandum, however, are the religious activities that happen in the town’s three parishes: Saint Isidore the Worker in Centro Poblacion, Saint John of the Cross in Cahayag, and Santa Cruz in Cawayanan.
However, in the stretch of the novenario for the May 15 feast day of San Isidro Labrador, another memorandum was issued restoring the chapel-based fiesta religious festivities.
With the recommendation from the MIATF, the mayor said he has restored the conduct of religious activities such as masses and novenas in the chapels that usher in the big day of their barangay devotion.
With the restoration of chapel masses and religious activities, the said memorandum also directs church and congregation leaders to strictly implement contact tracing protocols which lists down all church service and events attendees, their addresses, and contact numbers.
Moreover, the memorandum states that everyone in attendance has to go through thermal scanning while the church authorities shall put up disinfecting stations with alcohol and other disinfectants, as well as foot baths at the venue entrance.
While under MGCQ, these religious events and activities are allowed under 50 percent of the capacity of the place of gathering.
Church elders are also reminded to impose the proper wearing of face masks and face shields, assure good ventilation of the venue, and the observance of social and physical distancing.
The memorandum also directs the church leaders to report to the MIATF any untoward incident that may threaten the health safety and security of the parishioners. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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