To avoid overcrowding: More dawn masses

CEBU, Philippines — To diffuse large crowds, Cebu City Councilor Phillip Zafra is recommending not just one but more schedules for the daily Misa de Gallo in the run-up to Christmas.

Zafra, chairman of the committee on peace and order, said there is a need to set more schedules of dawn masses to avoid overcrowding, despite the eased restrictions against COVID-19.

In the past two years, he said, more mass schedules were held: one at night and another at dawn.

Because of such schedules, people had more options, the councilor said.

There were also some parishes that also had live streaming so that even those at their respective homes, including the seniors and persons with disabilities, could still hear masses.

With this kind of system, there will be less crowding in churches.

More Cebuanos are expected to attend physical masses this year as a way of bouncing back from a gloomy Christmas last year due to Typhoon Odette and the pandemic.

Zafra said he will formally express his recommendations once he will meet with the church representatives.

He also said he will meet with representatives from the Cebu City Police Office to plot a security plan ahead of the nine mornings leading to Christmas.

“Basta ingon ana nga mga panahon (Misa de Gallo), ato man gyud nang mapaabot ang pagdagsa sa katawhan.  Maong ato gyud nga pangandaman,” said Zafra.

Last All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, Zafra also encouraged cemetery visitors to still wear masks even if they are no longer mandatory in indoor settings, especially among the vaccinated ones, except in healthcare facilities and medical and public transportation, may it be air, land or sea.

Zafra said that prevention is always better than cure. — Sanden J. Anadia