IPAGBAWAL ni Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año ang pagka-carolling ngayong nalalapit na Yuletide season dahil sa banta ng CoVid-19 sa buong bansa.
“Based on studies and statistics, the spread of CoVid-19 is more likely to occur in mass singing like choir and caroling because singers have to remove their masks as they sing and viruses are released through aerosols,” ayon kay Año, vice chairman ng National Task Force on CoVid-19.
“I would recommend that to be implemented nationwide. We are still in extra ordinary time,” giit ng kalihim.
Nagpahayag ng suporta si Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander P/Lt. Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, sa panukala ni Año at hinihintay na lamang umano niya ang desisyon ng Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).
“Carolling has always been part of the Filipino tradition, I believe each and every one of us has his or her funny and meaningful stories of carolling especially when we were children. This is what makes the Christmas of every Filipino memorable and exciting one,” ani Eleazar.
Dahil ang mga bata ang labis na maaapektohan ng panukala, hinikayat ni Eleazar ang mga magulang na ipaliwanag sa kanilang mga anak kung bakit hindi maaaring mag-carolling ngayong Pasko.
“Children are considered as the most affected by the community quarantine rules since they could no longer do what they used to enjoy before the pandemic like going to school, playing with fellow kids and even going to the mall,” pahayag ng JTF COVID Shield commander.
Aatasan ni Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Camilo Pancraitus Cascolan, at Eleazar ang mga police commanders na makipagkoordinasyon sa Local Government Unit (LGUs) sa pagbabawal ng carolling sa kanilang mga lugar.
(ALMAR DANGUILAN)