The Immaculate Conception Parish Church in Guagua, Pampanga paid tribute to the frontliners this Holy Thursday with a mass for the Last Supper of Jesus.
In a virtual mass, 12 frontliners and members of the sectors played the role of the 12 apostles in the ritual of washing the feet.
“This pandemic should not push us to fight each other for survival, but it should push us to fight together for us to survive and beyond surviving…to begin living!” said Rev. Fr. Benjamin Espiritu III, parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception Parish.
The 12 include some barangay frontliners and health workers who are at high risk due to COVID-19.
Also present were senior citizens, employees, journalists, government employees, the unemployed, and church frontliners who also faced problems caused by the pandemic.
Among those who washed their feet was a parking attendant at the Hall of Justice who synchronized the delivery man to make money. There was also an embalmer who was also considered a first responder for the dying.
Even students and teachers facing the challenge of the new normal in education were also honored.
Also read: Pampanga extends household lockdown, curfew and liquor ban until April 15
Guagua Church in Pampanga pays tribute to COVID-19 frontliners
The Pampanga church also included human rights advocates such as lawyers defending victims of exploitation.
According to the priest, regardless of the state and status of people’s lives, it is important to continue working together to overcome the poverty caused by the pandemic.
Meanwhile, members of the Sangguniang Kabataan of the town of Siniloan, Laguna, distributed free porridge this Holy Thursday to the frontliners guarding the checkpoints in some barangays in the town.
They said it was a way to pay tribute to the frontliners who served the public, even on Easter.
“Pinili talaga namin na mabigyan ang mga bagong bayani o frontliners,” said C-An Salaveria Puño, SK federation president of Siniloan.
“To be honest palaging related sa sa glutinous rice or malagkit yung main ingredients namin like champorado, totong and lugaw na mismong harvest pa ng mga magsasaka namin dito sa Bayan ng Siniloan,” he added.