No influx of people at Carbon during HolyWeek

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is set to meet with market officials to discuss ways on how to prevent the influx of people, especially to the Carbon Public Market, during Holy Week.

Hundreds of Cebu City residents flocked to the market in April last year to prepare for Easter Sunday even as the city and the rest of the country were under enhanced community quarantine.

Councilor Joel Garganera, deputy chief implementer of the EOC, said this cannot happen this time around.

He said the EOC will sit down with the market administrator on Tuesday together with personnel of the Cebu City Traffic Office, City Environment Sanitation Enforcement Team, and Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) team to discuss ways to enforce minimum health protocols.

Cebu City is under modified general community quarantine.

Tomorrow, Monday, the EOC will meet with officials of the Cebu Archdiocese and Philippine National Police for a coordination meeting for the Holy Week. The meeting will take place at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

Councilor Philip Zafra, head of the City Council’s committee on peace and order, said earlier that parishes in the city should present activities for the Holy Week using digital platforms to limit the movement of the people.

Zafra will participate in the coordination meeting tomorrow.

He also proposed to disallow processions on Good Friday.

“Pwede ra tingale iparada ang mga imahe, pero dapat walay daghang tawo nga magsunod. Part pa na sa atong recommendation,” Zafra said.

“Mas maayo nga mag-online lang sa ta karon kay grabe naman gud ang pagsaka sa kaso sa COVID-19. Hinuon amo pa kini i-recommend sa EOC kun unsa ang ilang desisyon, among respetuhon,” he said.

Zafra said the COVID-19 pandemic may have disrupted some church activities but has not altered the faith of the Catholic individuals. He said people can still observe a meaningful Holy Week even without the traditional activities.

Lenten activities include Visita Iglesia, Via Cruces, traditional blessing of palm, “sugat,” Good Friday Veneration of the Cross, among others.

The Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday on March 28 and ends on Easter Sunday on April 4. —  JMO (FREEMAN)