SAN JOSE, Antique – It’s a go for the traditional simbang gabi Masses in Antique province.
Simbang gabi, which begins on Dec. 16, is a devotional nine-day early dawn Mass practiced by Filipino Catholics in anticipation of Christmas.
Gov. Rhodora Cadiao is allowing religious activities, pointing out in her Executive Order (EO) No. 205, Series of 2020 that Antique has been classified a low-risk province for the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and placed under Modified General Community Quarantine until Dec. 31, 2020 by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
The EO was issued on Dec. 2.
“All religious activities for the month of December, especially simbang gabi, shall be allowed, but subject to strict adherence to minimum public health standards,” part of it read.
These minimum public health standards are the wearing of facemask, physical distancing and washing of hands with soap and water or disinfectant.
Also, “persons below 15 and above 65 years of age are not allowed to go outside of their homes, except when accessing basic necessities, when availing themselves of urgent legal aid, when going home and traveling for work in industries allowed under MGCQ, and during medical emergencies.”
Cadiao maintained the curfew from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
But Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR), night shift workers, essential workers, persons with medical needs or emergencies, and persons availing themselves of urgent legal aid are exempted from the curfew.
Liquor is regulated also.
“Selling, buying or distribution of alcoholic beverages in retail stores, convenience stores and malls shall be allowed only from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily to address the increasing number of alcohol-related crimes and accidents/deaths in the province.”
As for returning residents, including overseas Filipinos, the following must be secured if they are from areas under general community quarantine (GCQ):
* notice of coordination/acceptance from the receiving local government unit
* medical certificate from their place of origin stating that they are not persons under monitoring or persons under investigation and that they do not have any other infectious disease
As of Dec. 2, Antique had only one active case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – a 68-year-old female from Libertad, Antique under quarantine.
Since March, Antique recorded 81 COVID-19 cases. As of Dec. 2, 79 have recovered.
The province has only one COVID-19 death./PN
