SUBIC BAY FREEPORT —Due to the quarantine rules that prohibit mass gatherings to prevent transmission of the new coronavirus, Masses and other religious activities at the San Roque Chapel here will be streamed live on the Internet during the Holy Week.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman and administrator Wilma Eisma said the first live streaming, which involved the simultaneous recording and broadcasting of the event in real time.
It was simultaneously broadcast live on the facebook pages of 89.5 Subic Bay Radio, an FM channel operated by the SBMA, and FUNtastic Subic Bay, the agency’s official tourism page, Eisma said.
The online broadcast of the Holy Mass here was the response of the SBMA and St. Columban Parish to the directive of Bishop Bartolome Santos, Jr. of the Diocese of Iba that “all celebrations shall be done on live stream so that people can virtually participate.”
The directive, dated the March 21, also indicated that the religious activities were to be programmed “so that we make our celebrations in the diocese simultaneously.”
To make the live streaming of religious activities here possible, Eisma said the SBMA Tourism Department consulted with Fr. Audie Mozo, the parish priest of the Columban Church in Olongapo City, and came up with the following schedule for the San Roque Chapel:
• April 5 and 12: Sunday Masses — live streaming at 9AM;
• April 9: Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper — live streaming at 5 PM; and
• April 11: Easter Vigil Mass — live streaming at 7PM.
Meanwhile, the directive from the Diocese of Iba also indicated that the processions on Holy Thursday and Good Friday may be undertaken with the public observing social distancing.
“After the Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion, without the faithful, the presider rides a pick up vehicle as he carries a Crucifix and goes to all the streets of the parish (and) people with lighted candles shall wait in front of their homes to venerate the Cross by kneeling down,” the directive said.
It added that because of the enforced curfew hours, the traditional “Salubong” will be omitted this year and may transferred to one of the Sundays of May.
Bishop Santos also said that the Chrism Mass will be celebrated on April 30, Thursday, “to give our people the chance to participate in this joyful gathering.” He said the Vatican has given bishops the authority to change the date of the Chrism Mass to a more suitable schedule. — With SBMA Communications Office
