MANILA, Philippines—Churchmen announced the holding of religious processions and special Masses, students trooped back to schools with bottles of alcohol in their bags and guards in some colleges carried thermometers to check temperatures, as Filipinos joined hands in a battle against the swine flu virus.
As some 5 million youths poured back into public and private schools with the end of summer, student nurses in charge of taking temperatures in a Lucena City school made sure no one got in without an “OK” stamped on the wrist.
Soldiers in military camps joined in the fight by shunning handshakes and limiting their greetings to mere salutes.
Citing its vulnerability to transients, especially foreigners, the city government at the Makati financial district passed an ordinance setting aside P10 million for the purchase of surgical masks, hand sanitizers and other items to help fight the menace of the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) said colleges and universities opened on Monday “without any problems” despite the steady increase in the number of confirmed swine flu cases in the country.
“The schools had ample time to prepare,” CHEd Executive Director Julito Vitriolo said.
In Naga City, processions and Masses will be held from Tuesday until Thursday to be led by Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi.
“This year’s processions and Masses [will be] held to ask for God’s mercy [so that] the community [will be] spared from the influenza pandemic and other illnesses,” Legaspi said.
Legaspi encouraged everyone to participate in the processions to venerate the image of the Divino Rostro (Holy Face of Jesus).
"Swine Flu Virus awakens Bayanihan spirit among Filipinos."
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