DAVAO CITY —The leaders of Archdiocese of Davao and the Task-Force Davao on Tuesday agreed to implement security and health protocols as church services will resume anytime this month.
Task Force Davao Commander Colonel Consolito Yecla said the meeting involved the re-orientation of the leaders from the cities 43 parishes on the threat of terrorism in the midst of coronavirus pandemic threat.
Since Davao City is now under the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) church services are open but everyone must follow security measures and health protocols to ensure everyone’s safety.
Highlighted during the meeting is the measures being introduced inline with the Culture of Security template of the city government and TF-Davao, as stipulateb=d in the Executive Order No. 41 issued by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Among the measures which will be imposed include the following:
- Setting up of closed circuit television (cctv)
- Establishment of parking buffer zones
- Non-use of garbage bins inside the church premises.
- No Jacket policy
- No non-transparent water containers inside churches
Aside from the guidelines contained in the church circular to protect churchgoers from coronavirus infection, the attendees agree to impose the mandatory wearing of masks and other forms of PPEs.
The meeting was attended by the security personnel, Parish Disaster Action Response Team (PDART), secretary and personnel from different Diocesan Churches in Davao City.
The PDART, as a volunteer group of the church will be the primary security forces to oversee the premises and immediate vicinity of the churches.
The order emhasized the four acts of culture of security which are volunteer, report remind and partcipate, and the specific role government agencies and civilian organizations in ensuring the security of the city.
In addition, they were briefed on the role of every individuals based on the new “May Nakita, Dapat Magsalita!” anti-terror campaign launched by the City Government of Davao which emphasizes that it is the civic duty of every Davaoeno to observe and report anything that arouses his/her suspicions to the authorities .
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Both parties agreed to conduct another security seminars and trainings for them to be facilitated by TF Davao.
With the impending resumption of church services, Yecla said “It is important that everyone will do their share in protecting the lives and limbs of every Davaoeños, we call on the public to cooperate and do their share in building a culture of safety for everyone and report anything suspicious around them or within their community.”
Monsignor Paul Cuison, the vicar general of the Diocese in an interview with Newsline said “We are church leaders also follow the recommendation of the civil authorities because we must work in harmony with each other for security and health concerns.”
The meeting held at the San Pedro Cathedral Auditorium ended with the distribution of campaign posters May Nakita? Dapat Magsalita!.-Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline
