March 29, 2024

Let’s start with a prayer for healing: “Loving God, I pray that You will comfort me in my suffering, lend skill to the hands of my healers, and bless the means used for my cure. Give me such confidence in the power of Your grace, that even when I am afraid, I may put my whole trust in You; through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.”


To further enlighten the public, we share Mayor Benjamin Magalong’s June 1 statement on the conduct of mass gatherings, community assemblies, non-essential work gatherings, and religious gatherings: “Now that more activities are allowed during modified general community quarantine, we have to be even more vigilant and cautious because Covid-19 is still a threat to the health of the community.”
For this reason, mass gatherings, community assemblies, non-essential work gatherings, and religious gatherings will remain prohibited in the city while we are still studying effective health and safety measures to protect our citizens. We will continue to hold dialogues and consultations with affected sectors in order to find the best and most effective measures and protocols to mitigate the risk of Covid-19 transmission as we introduce this new normal into daily life in Baguio.
However, low-key marriage ceremonies, religious rites, and small family gatherings to celebrate milestones may be allowed, so long as social distancing and stringent health standards are followed. For funeral rites, these will be limited only to direct family members.
Since the start of the community quarantine in the country, it has been our practice to carry out the national guidelines and implement them at the local level gradually and in a way that is suitable to our way of life. The local government will continue to craft relevant and risk-based health standards, precautionary measures and protocols to protect the people of Baguio from this virus. We have survived this long by adopting and adapting, and this is also how we will follow through with the guidelines on MGCQ.” Amen, to that.


FYI: The World No Tobacco Day 2020’s theme is “Protecting the youth from industry manipulation and preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use.”
Around eight million people die because of tobacco-related diseases per year. That’s why the tobacco industry is targeting the younger generation to continue gaining profit. Young people are vulnerable and tend to believe everything that they see and hear in social media. This year’s campaign revolves around protecting them from tobacco industry manipulation and smoking addiction.


Here’s “The poison tree” by William Blake: “I was angry with my friend:/ I told my wrath, my wrath did end./ I was angry with my foe:/ I told it not, my wrath did grow./ And I watered it in fears,/ Night and morning with my tears;/ And I sunned it with smiles,/ And with soft deceitful wiles./ And it grew both day and night,/ Till it bore an apple bright./ And my foe beheld it shine./ And he knew that it was mine,/
And into my garden stole/ When the night had veiled the pole;/ In the morning glad I see/ My foe outstretched beneath the tree.”
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.