INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The traditional Christmas season “Simbang Gabi” will be allowed in Metro Manila with the curfew hours in the region possibly being shortened further to 12 a.m. to 3 a.m. starting December 1, the chairman of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) announced on Monday.
“Opo, ‘yun po ay papayagan na po ‘yun, pero ang mangyayari lang po dyan, mas dadami po ang simba sa madaling araw para maiwasan po natin ang gathering sa pagdikit-dikit at magkaroon po ng physical distancing,” MMC chairman and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said in an interview on ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.
(Yes, we will allow that. But we will increase the number of Holy Masses so that people will be able to practice physical distancing inside churches.)
“Ang pinag-uusapan pa po is starting December 1, dahil dito sa Simbang Gabi, baka ang gawin pong curfew ng Metro Manila ay i-adjust na rin po ‘yan ng 12:00 to 3:00 na lang po ng umaga para sa pagsisimba ng atin pong mga church-goer,” he added.
(We are also discussing the possible easing of curfew hours in Metro Manila into 12 a.m. to 3 a.m. for people to be able to go to church.)
In the same interview, Olivarez also revealed that the MMC, composed of mayors of 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila, has recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases to relax the curfew hours in the region from the current 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. into 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. before further easing it in December.
However, he said that Navotas City will maintain its curfew hours of 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
A total of 179,452 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases have so far been reported in Metro Manila, including 14,233 active cases, 162,061 recoveries and 3,158 deaths.
Nationwide, 356,618 COVID-19 cases have been reported as of Sunday afternoon (39,808 active cases, 310,158 recoveries and 6,652 deaths).