ILIGAN City -- The Roman Catholic Diocese of Iligan suspended indefinitely masses in all its churches here and in Lanao del Norte to help in the “government’s precautionary measures” for the prevention of the spread of the novel coronavirus disease.
Bishop Jose Ramirez Rapadas III advised the clergy to celebrate mass through the internet, television and radio in an announcement via its Facebook page late Saturday evening.
He also advised couples getting married to reschedule their weddings. Only those scheduled for baptism on Sunday were told to show up.
“Regarding the funeral, only the Rite of Blessing for the dead shall be performed with only a small congregation observing strictly the precautionary measures,” the bishop said.
Rapadas said the Diocese has decided on the suspension after a process of consultation with the clergy and health officers of the city and the province.
Iligan has been placed under a state of calamity shortly after the announcement that the first patient in Mindanao confirmed to have Covid-19 was first admitted at the Adventist Medical Center here on March 3 until his transfer to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center in neighboring Cagayan de Oro City on March 8.
The patient tested positive for Covid-19, and he passed away Friday evening.
“It is observed that we cannot strictly comply with the prescribed precautionary measures because the required paraphernalia are no longer available in the market,” the bishop said, apparently referring to the shortage of supply of hand sanitizers, alcohol and masks, which are now hard to come by with the panic buying everywhere.
“We lack the capability to determine who are carriers of the virus. So the congregation, as well as our ministers, will only be exposed to greater risk of getting infected,” Rapadas stressed.
He said that should the crisis last until Holy Week, “we shall continue the Eucharist and liturgical celebrations of the Holy Week even in the absence of a congregation.”
Mayor Celso Regencia declared Sunday a “community quarantine” to strictly monitor incoming persons and vehicles, and ordered the postponement of public activities and mass gatherings, including church services.
In his Executive Order No. 29, the mayor also required students, who do not have to go to school because of indefinite suspension of classes he declared earlier, to stay at home.
Regencia said residents of Iligan who are returning to the city from other places will have to present a valid government-issued identification card and register at the designated checkpoints, writing their names, addresses, contact numbers and history of travel.
The designated checkpoints are in barangays Buruun and Dalipuga, aside from the existing ones at Suarez and near the Mandulog River.
Non-residents coming into the city “for legitimate and absolutely necessary purpose” will go through the same process.
Vehicles that are only passing through Iligan will be “accompanied/monitored by [police or military] marshals... until their vehicles are out of the boundary.”
Passengers with fever, or with body temperature of 38 degree Celsius or above, are to be temporarily held at the checkpoint and reported to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for further action.
The order said all passengers with history of travel abroad or local areas with Covid-19 cases are required to undergo home quarantine for 14 days and report to the EOC if they have flu-like symptoms.
“Those who refuse to undergo home quarantine shall not be allowed entry to Iligan City,” Regencia said.
Personnel and drivers of delivery vehicles are also required IDs and to register, including the plate numbers of their vehicles. Regencia told reporters after his announcement that the crew of shipping vessels are to undergo the same process.
The mayor assured the public that there will be free flow of food and other items from suppliers into Iligan.
The mayor prohibited several establishments from operating: swimming pools, cockpits, bowling lanes, gyms, those offering team sports, movie houses, karaoke bars, beer houses, amusement places, internet cafes, bingo and e-games and similar businesses.
He barred patients from other areas and suggested they “seek medical intervention at their respective hospital facility.”
Regencia encouraged senior citizens, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable personalities to stay at home.
Among his “precautionary measures” against Covid-19 is the postponement of public activities and mass gatherings of any kind regardless of size, including church worship service. Regencia tasked the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team to monitor such events.
He reminded residents of the City Council’s ordinance reviving curfew hours: from 12 midnight to 4 am. (Bobby Timonera and Richel V. Umel with reports from Froilan Gallardo, Mindanews)
