Cebu churches culminate ‘Flores de Mayo’ today

CEBU, Philippines —  Santacruzan and Flores de Mayo activities are only allowed within the church premises, the Archdiocese of Cebu said.

The Catholic Church's monthlong celebration of Flores de Mayo culminates today.

The archdiocese reminded parishes and parishioners that Santacruzan or Sagalas can only be held within the church and no processions are allowed on the streets or in the barangays.

All religious activities here are coordinated with the Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and only one Flores de Mayo-related event outside the church premises was given a go by the EOC and it was held yesterday.

Along with this, the Cebu Archdiocese and the EOC also reminded everyone that the IATF protocols are also going to be followed in the culminating activity.

With this, only 50 percent of the venue capacity will be allowed, and although Flores de Mayo usually involves children, minors 15 years old and below are prohibited from entering the parish churches, not even on the culminating activity.

Necessary precautions against COVID-19 should be continued especially as cases in Cebu City are slowly rising again.

As of May 29, active cases are at 426 based on EOC’s own data.

Its positivity rate though has remained within the World Health Organization threshold of 5 percent after posting 4.16 percent or that 42 coming out positive of the 1,009 tested.

From 55 the other day, there are now 57 barangays with active cases of COVID-19 in Cebu City.

Its latest critical care utilization rate in the 15 hospitals here though has remained low at 15.7 percent or only 145 total occupancies.

Most of the Covid-19 positives are isolated at the BICs with 166 of them while 41 others are at the Cebu City Quarantine Center and 45 in hotels. — KQD (FREEMAN)