TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Dec. 11 (PNA) — In time with the Filipino tradition of Misa de Gallo or “Simbang Gabi”, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be adjusting the curfew that is currently being implemented here, Eastern Visayas police head Chief Superintendent Henry Losañes said on Wednesday.
Losañes told reporters after a meeting with members of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) that they will talk to the officials of the Catholic Church here soon to discuss security preparations for the start of the annual Misa de Gallo next week.
“After this meeting, if I have time and if the Bishop is available, I will be visiting him to get the official schedule of the Simbang Gabi so that we can adjust ‘yung time and implementation ng curfew natin,” Losañes said.
Misa de Gallo usually begins on December 16, nine days before Christmas, where Catholics are expected to attend masses that are held in the evening or at dawn as part of the tradition being observed by Filipinos during the yuletide season.
The PNP has imposed a curfew in Leyte’s capital city and in Guiuan, Eastern Samar from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. following a spate of looting and other crimes reported in the aftermath of super typhoon “Yolanda” last month. The order remains effective until now.
“We will be adjusting ‘yung implementation ng curfew natin para may time naman ang mga churchgoers na makapag-simba,” Losañes assured, especially since the peace and order situation in Tacloban City has already improved.
City Administrator John Tecson Lim, meanwhile, expressed his gratitude to private organizations that are doing something to infuse the Christmas spirit in their town even if a lot of people are still coping with the effects of the disaster.
He thanked GMA-7’s Wish Ko Lang Foundation for the Christmas tree they have set up in their city hall last Tuesday, as well as the the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Bureau of Fire Protection for helping make this event a success.
“Kahapon po it was a very, very happy event. There is now a Christmas tree set up by Wish Ko Lang Foundation in Tacloban City Hall and we will try to put in some music ‘pag gabi para medyo may konting spirit naman po (tayo ng Pasko),” he said.
He also announced that Robinsons supermarket and department store, which was looted by some desperate citizens in the aftermath of “Yolanda”, would finally open to resume its operations on December 19 next week. (PNA)