A. Guidelines on Police Visits Looking for Possible Accommodations of Police Personnel in Our Parishes
The incidents regarding policemen scouting for church’s facilities for their possible accommodation should not be a cause for concern. They are not going to take-over your facilities. They are doing it merely for inventory. In the event that they’ll be needing a place to stay, your facilities may be considered but only after going through a proper and formal protocol.
Here’s what we have to do as pastors:
1.) Accommodate and talk to police-visitors and discuss with them the purpose of their visit. They are to identify themselves and give the names of their commanding officers who sent them. Note these down for proper documentation.
2.) Parish priests or another priest designated by the parish priest are to communicate with them.
3.) Letter of request from either the Chief PNP, City Mayor, or the City Police Chief addressed to the Local Ordinary or the Apostolic Administrator of Manila is to be given. This letter will be sent to the Administrator for verification. Personal request, meaning without the behest of the PNP Chief, City Mayor, or City Police Chief should be politely declined.
4.) Once the request is granted by the Apostolic Administrator, pastors are to be responsible in determining the extent of help to be given to police front liners. How many days will they be staying? Will they be provided food, drinks, and other basic necessities? Some are merely looking for a place to stay and would not expect the above-mentioned provisions.
5.) Only schools, halls, gymnasiums, and other rooms are to be used for such accommodation, not the church itself.
6.) Once they are accommodated, make a close coordination with Barangay officials and inform the latter of the presence of policemen in your church.
7.) If the parish is unable to accommodate them, politely decline such a request and refer them to the Coordinating Committee led by Fr. Jason Laguerta and Fr. Jerome Secillano and let the Committee suggest another available place if there is any.
8.) We need to exercise prudence and charity in dealing with people in need.
9.) The greater good of the parish should also be considered in this particular situation.
10.) The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila (RCAM) reserves the right to either allow or refuse the use of church’s facilities under its jurisdiction.
B. Guidelines on the Possibility of Using Church’s Facilities as Quarantine Areas for PUIS & PUMS
Providing our facilities as quarantine areas for PUIs and PUMs is easier said than done. Aside from the fact that our facilities are not equipped for such a situation, the risk of transmitting Corona virus is high since many of our churches and facilities are very close to communities or residential areas.
Besides, there are other private facilities which are tailored for this situation since they already have rooms, toilets, and kitchens that should make proper medical and health interventions for PUIs and PUMs easier.
The government can look at hotels, motels or big apartelles before they should even consider our church’s facilities.
We also believe that there are still other huge public buildings that are owned either by the national or local government that can be properly utilized for accommodating PUI and PUM cases.
Nonetheless, in this critical and difficult situation we need to show our readiness to help and collaborating with our government at this juncture is for the common good.
In the event, therefore, that we are approached and asked to have our parish facilities to be considered for this purpose, we are to do the following:
1.) Ask which government agency he/she is connected. Verify his/her status. Ask for the person’s identity and the name of the superior who sent him/her. There should be a formal written request.
2.) Entertain and listen. Politely tell him/her that you are referring the matter to the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila or to the religious superior because only he/she can make the appropriate decision.
3.) Inform the Apostolic Administrator or the religious superior. He/she will act on it based on the following considerations:
a.) There is a formal request from the LGU for the purpose of using church’s facilities for the quarantine of PUIs and PUMs. Based on government proclamations (Proclamation No. 922 dated March 8, 2020) and guidelines (DILG Memo Circular No 2020-062 and DOH Memo No 2020-0123), it is the LGU where the Parish is located that must send the request. The request indicates the specific intended purpose or use of the identified facility/ area, as well as the duration of the use, subject to extension, if necessary.
b.) The possible use of church’s facilities for the aforementioned purpose is a last recourse measure. The LGU must present that all other facilities have been assessed and were found to be inadequate; then an assessment by the municipal, city or provincial health officer must be shown that church’s facility to be used is suitable for the specific intended purpose.
c.) The facility will be manned by DOH experts and personnel applying the necessary medical protocols and expenditures. The LGU presents a planned management of the facility. It is to be under the supervision of the City/ Municipal Health Officer, as stated in DOH Department Memorandum No. 2020-0123. It conforms to the DOH standards and guidelines, including, but not limited to patient management, safety standards within the facility and immediate community, waste management/ disposal, and other similar/ related health requirements.
d.) Normally, the church itself is not to be used for this purpose. Possible facilities are gymnasium, auditorium, classrooms, halls and other areas with wide spaces. The LGU request must include a commitment for the safekeeping of all property and valuables in the facility to be used during the operations and the conduct of the cleaning and fumigation of the area.
e.) The Apostolic Administrator, in his wise and prudent judgment, is to consider not only the good of the patients but of the church community as well. He, therefore, reserves the right to either allow or refuse the use of church’s facilities under his governance or administration.
f.) A distinction is to be made between facilities owned by religious congregations and those under the Archdiocese of Manila. The Apostolic Administrator has no jurisdiction over properties owned by religious congregations. Requests for their use are to be made directly to the religious superiors concerned.
BP. BRODERICK PABILLO
Apostolic Administrator of Manila
3 April 2020
