In this file photo, Catholic devotees flock to a church in Camalig, Albay province. MARK ALVIC ESPLANA Inquirer Southern Luzon.
LEGAZPI CITY, Albay—As the Bicol region braces for Typhoon “Nina” (international name: Nock-Ten), the head of the Diocese of Legazpi, Bishop Joel Z. Baylon, advised parishes to reschedule “misa de gallo” or the midnight mass on Christmas Eve at an earlier time on Staurday night.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Nina has intensified as it moves in a west northwest direction and is expected to make landfall over Catanduanes afternoon of Christmas Day.
READ: Typhoon Nina stronger but slower; 12 areas under Signal No. 1
Baylon has also advised Parish Disaster Response Committees (PaDReCom) to “prepare for any eventuality.”
The “misa de gallo” at Saint Gregory the Great Cathedral and Our Mother of Perpetual Help Shrine in Legazpi City will start at 6 p.m. Saturday. St. Jude Thaddeus in Legazpi, Saints Joachim and Anne Parish in Malinao, Saint Anthony of Padua in Tabaco City, Saint James the Great Parish in Libon, and Saint Dominic de Guzman in Sto. Domingo will all celebrate Mass at 7 p.m. Saint Raphael the Archangel Parish in Legazpi City and Saint John the Baptist Parish in Camalig will celebrate it at 7:30 p.m. Our Lady of the Gate Parish in Daraga and Saint John the Baptist Parish in Tabaco City will have the mass at 8 p.m. Holy Family Parish in Tabaco City will start at 8:30 p.m.
All six provinces in Bicol are now under tropical cyclone warning signal 1 as of press time.