The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) has announced that no physical activities will happen to celebrate the Feast of the Holy Infant Jesus at Shrine Hills on January 15 and 16, but masses will be held online for the devotees.
DCPO Director Col. Kirby John Kraft in an interview with Davao City Disaster Radio on Friday said the Holy Infant Jesus Shrine will be closed to the public due to the increasing coronavirus cases.
According to Kraft, the cancellation of physical activities has been coordinated with the administrator of the Holy Infant Chapel during the celebration days.
“It was agreed natin po and ng Shrine Hills na isasara po nila ang Shrine sa January 15-16 pero may misa po sila online (It was agreed by us and the Shrine Hills [Administration] that they will close the Shrine on January 15-16 but they will conduct mass online),” Kraft said.
He added that they initially requested the Shrine administration following the directive of Mayor Inday Sara Duterte to do away with the physical activities.
Kraft added that to prevent flocking and mass gathering of devotees several security personnel will be deployed in the area.
‘Maglalagay ng police and security forces sa labas ng Shrine. Sa magtitirik po ng kandila doon lang sila sa labas kagaya po ang ginagawa natin noong nagkaraang taon. (We will place security forces outside the Shrine. For those who will light candles they are only allowed outside similar to how it was done last year),” he added.
Kraft said that those who will light candles are only allowed to stay for a very limited time in the area.
Data from Department of Health (DoH) Davao Region showed an increase in the number of cases from two new cases in one day to 67 new cases during the period from January 3 to January 6,
Davao City Covid-19 Task Force Chairperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser, in a radio interview on DCDR Friday, also urged people to continue following the minimum public health standards including the social distancing to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus. CIO
