MANILA (UPDATE) — Mass goers at the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church, Parañaque City were startled by a loud noise akin to gunshots late Wednesday afternoon.
The Baclaran police sub-station suspects the disturbance stemmed from “the ceramic tiles that reportedly exploded due to excessive heat” past 5 p.m.
Personnel has cleared the ceramic tiles from the area.
Ceramic tiles inside Baclaran Church reportedly exploded due to excessive heat. Southern Police District
Ceramic tiles inside Baclaran Church reportedly exploded due to excessive heat. Southern Police District
Ceramic tiles inside Baclaran Church reportedly exploded due to excessive heat. Southern Police District
Ceramic tiles inside Baclaran Church reportedly exploded due to excessive heat. Southern Police District
Rev. Fr. Rico John Bilangel, CSsR, said the explosion of several ceramic tiles at the Baclaran Church was due to aging and excessive heat.
Bilangel said the novena mass had just ended when the floor tiles at the back of the church exploded.
“Syempre, sa laws of physics, when matters are heated, medyo nag-eexpand siya. Dahil sa init din kahapon, ang ilan sa tiles ay pumutok, which created unnecessary tension,” the priest said.
“Sa simula, hindi alam ng mga tao kung ano ang nangyayari. Ang iba ay tumakbo palabas because they didn’t understand ano ang nangyayari. But, eventually, mabilis naman ang tugon ng ating volunteers and security personnel, so nahupa naman kaagad ang tension,” he added.
(When matters are heated, they expand. Because of the hot weather yesterday, some tiles cracked, which created unnecessary tension. At first, people did not know what happened, some ran outside. But our volunteers and security personnel responded quickly, so the tension eased.)
Bilangel said this was not the first time the church’s tiles popped.
“Actually, every now and then, may mga ganyang maliliit na pagputok ng tiles sa simbahan. Kahapon lang ang medyo malaki kasi sa loob siya mismo. Paminsan-minsan sa labas, konting tiles. Ang tiles kasi ng simbahan natin, ever since natapos ‘yung simbahan ay hindi pa napapalitan. Ganoon na katagal, more than 50 years na o almost 60 ang tiles ng simbahan,” he noted.
(Every now and there, there are small explosions in the church. Yesterday, it was a bit loud because it was inside the church. Tiles outside would sometimes crack. The church's tiles have not been replaced ever since its construction was completed. So they're more than 50 years old, almost 60 years old.)
A child was hurt and immediately treated due to the commotion.
“Mayroon lang isang batang nasugatan, konting galos lang dahil sa takbuhan, pero agaran namang nabigyan ng lunas dahil mayroon tayong medical team na always on standby,” according to Bilangel.
(A child was scratched because of all the running, but was immediately treated because we always have a medical team on standby.)
Volunteers and church personnel have already cleared the area of debris. The church plans to replace the ceramic tiles at the soonest possible time.
“Now, okay naman, malinis na. May areas lang na nawalan ng tiles,” the priest said. “Wala namang kailangang ipangamba ang mga pupunta sa ating simbahan.”
(It's now okay. There are just some areas without tiles. Church-goers have nothing to worry about.)
Mass schedules and Holy Week activities have resumed at the Baclaran Church.
BISIKLETA IGLESIA
Officials of the Philippine National Police, meanwhile, inspected churches in Metro Manila on Maundy Thursday to ensure the safety of the public this Holy Week.
At the Baclaran Church, PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia led the inspection dubbed “Bisikleta Iglesia.”
“Ito ang best time na umikot sa places of convergence, lalung lalo na ang mga simbahan natin, kaya meron tayong Bisikleta Iglesia ngayong umaga. Bisikleta Iglesia patrollers. Sa buong Pilipinas ito ginagawa sa lahat ng lebel ng aming units at police stations,” Sermonia told reporters.
“Nagsimula kami kanina sa Quiapo Church. Sina RD naman nagsimula sila sa St. Therese sa Villamor Air Base. Ito ay ginagawa ng lahat ng police stations. Pagkakataon na rin na makapag-Visita Iglesia ang ating mga pulis kahit na nagtatrabaho,” he added.
Hundreds of Catholic faithful, including children and the elderly, visited the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church.
Many performed the Stations of the Cross, a 14-step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ’s passion and death on the cross. Others lit candles and offered prayers.
Aside from ocular inspections, the PNP has also set up police assistance desks in churches, bus terminals, sea ports, airports and other places of convergence.
“Ang target natin, ang desire ng ating CPNP, na maging zero casualty para sa ating mga kababayan. Kaya nilatag natin nang maayos ang ating public safety and security,” Sermonia said.
“Kung may mga hindi kanais-nais na nakikita na medyo delikado, ipagbigay alam kaagad sa mga pulis,” he told the public.