Some health workers cried at sight of Black Nazarene crowds, says HPAAC exec

Some health workers could not help but cry when they saw thousands of devotees flock to the Quiapo Church on Sunday for the feast of the Black Nazarene, the convenor of the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against COVID-19 (HPAAC) said Sunday.

“Talagang iyak, kasi ang consequences niyan, dadagsa sa mga ospital ang kaso maybe in two weeks. So medyo kinakabahan na sila,” Dr. Antonio Dans said in Rida Reyes’ “24 Oras Weekend” report.

Experts from the OCTA Research group earlier said the feast day was a “superspreader” event for COVID-19. 

Former National Task Force Against COVID-19 adviser, Dr. Tony Leachon, also used the term to describe the activity, which saw as many as 400,000 people converge on Manila, by police estimates.

“Kasi hindi mo naman alam kung saan nakatira ito. Pwedeng nakatira sa CALABARZON area, sa Central Luzon. So kung makakakita tayo ng cases na nag-i-increase, maaaring dito nanggaling sa National Capital Region kasi wala naman tayong mga address nila kung saan susundan e,” he said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III also said it was “possible” that infections would increase in two weeks.

“That is very possible! Will see results on January 24-25 if [the] number of new cases in Manila soars,” he said.

Quiapo Church, meanwhile, maintained that devotees are not spreaders of COVID-19.

“Nirerespeto namin ‘yung kanilang pananaw at opinyon. Sila po ‘yung mga eksperto at naiintindihan namin ‘yung pinanggagalingan nila,” Fr. Douglas Badong said.

“Pero ako po naniniwala na ang mga deboto ay hindi spreader ng virus, kung hindi, ang kinalat namin kahapon ay pag-asa.”

In a separate report on "24 Oras Weekend" by Vonne Aquino, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) acting director Police Brigadier General Vicente Danao said the PNP "did their best" to maintain health protocols.

"Unfortunately, there were some instances wherein alam mo naman, deboto natin we cannot stop the faith," he said. "Sa totoo lang, this is a Christian country and we cannot and will never stop the faith of being a devotee of the Black Nazarene." — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News