BY MATÉ ESPINA
NEGROS Occidental is tracking down “five professional prayer warriors” who may be unaware of spreading the virus around as they transfer from one wake to another.
When I first read that news, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry for being ignorant enough that those prayers warriors exist in our communities.
It reminds me of the film “Crying Ladies” that starred Sharon Cuneta, Kris Aquino and Hilda Koronel as professional mourners who were mostly hired by Chinese families. That movie was very entertaining and showed a different custom that I was not aware of but quite popular in Metro Manila.
Being in that profession was no joke as you have to summon all your strength to wail at a dead body that you do not even know. The harder you cry, the bigger your take is. But I have not encountered that in Bacolod or Negros until I read the story in Digicast Negros.
The search is ongoing after the Negros Occidental Provincial OIC Budget Officer, Gemma Rose Flores, tested positive for COVID-19 last Nov. 13. Two days before that, Flores appeared before the provincial council budget hearing and reported for work. That same day, she developed fever and went for voluntary testing that turned out positive for the virus.
The Provincial Capitol, according to Provincial Administrator Ray Diaz, went on to test all those who were adjacent to Flores during the budget hearing but so far, they tested negative. Results from other employees in her office have yet to be released but decontamination of the session hall and the budget department office has been conducted.
It was different in the Flores household however, after her brother-in-law also tested positive and investigation led to the possibility that they may have been infected when prayers for the dead were held at their residence, according to Diaz.
This, Diaz said, prompted them to task the Provincial Health Office to track these prayer warriors, described as mostly seniors, so they can be tested for the virus.
“We are looking for those five professional prayer warriors who may be transferring from one wake to the next and spreading the virus,” Diaz said, as it appears that the infection happened in their residence.
Some months back, a rise in coronavirus cases in Kabankalan City was also attributed at a wake, prompting Diaz to remind the public that during these times, we should think twice before allowing people into our homes to pray or eat during a wake.
I guess there are still many who, despite the threat of COVID, cannot do away with tradition in respect to their dead. However, it still baffles me that this custom actually exists in our midst as I’ve never attended a wake where other people, outside of family members and friends, do mourn and pray for the dead.
In other news, Gov. Bong Lacson announced that the province is going to give a million each in assistance to Albay and Catanduanes for their recovery efforts after suffering so much in the wake of Typhoon Rolly.
Another group, Tatak Kalamay, are also consolidating financial assistance which may reach to half a million for Cagayan that was also badly hit by Typhoon Ulysses. Cagayan is also a sugar-producing province and Tatak Kalamay has been at the forefront of providing assistance for their fellow sugar farmers in times of calamities. Early this year, they were also able to raise funds for Batangas sugar farmers who suffered much during the Taal Volcano explosion.
Negros Occidental, according to Diaz, is also set to give financial assistance to provinces that were hit by Ulysses but the amount have yet to be agreed upon.
Meanwhile, Gov. Bong also reminded the public not to be complacent in the fight against COVID-19 in the wake of the announcement by Cebu and Davao that they will once again shut their borders amidst rising cases.
Last week, Bacolod was abuzz with videos of people partying around and resorts opening up for celebrations even when these gatherings are still prohibit under the GCQ status we are in.
Gov. Bong said that although it seems our cases are dropping to double digits, we must ensure that health protocols are being practiced and seriously enforced.
In fact, the provincial government included in the proposed budget for next year a P36 million allocation for anti-COVID programs since we are not yet seeing the end of this epidemic in the near future.
The budget includes purchase of test kits on top of those kits provided by the Department of Health, and P20 million for operation of quarantine facilities.
Negros Occidental tops the number of cases in the region with 5,224 reported cases but although DOH says we have 1,281 active cases, the PHO said that there are only 651 active cases left.
Bacolod meanwhile has 5,135 total cases with 343 active cases but has a higher death data of 152 since the outbreak./PN
