Click on the following for the latest PAMI bulletin: March 2020 PAMI Bulletin. This bulletin illustrates the 2020 vision and goals of various partitions/churches of PAMI as of the end of February. Perhaps these plans will have to change now that the whole world has shut down due to COVID-19 social restrictions. As of March 26 there are 707 confirmed cases and 45 deaths in the Philippines, but none yet in our area. But our area is still included in government mandated lock-down, so church services, EBI classes and internships, graduation ceremonies, Compassion activities, etc. have been temporarily suspended. Please pray for protection, adjustment, & recovery.
Prior to government mandated restrictions, EBI was planning to graduate 4 on April 3, and an all-PAMI fellowship/summit at EBI was being planned for April 26. And a new modular study program was going to commence in four churches in June, with various EBI teachers teaching weekly Friday afternoon classes and rotating monthly. But all this is now on hold. It’s sort of a double whammy to have this COVID-19 happen right after the December typhoon, and we pray that some measure of ministry can continue. Although big group gatherings have been suspended, a few pictures of small-scale efforts can be seen below. Pastor Gumer says, “Glory to God for the opportunity to share God’s word even in hard time due to community quarantine because of ncov19..and I pray that our God be glorify in our lives. Jesus is above all name..Phil.2:9-11.”
Ptr Gumer says, “To God be the glory even our divine services was held in houses but all are enjoyed in God’s presence all are doing as we did the church..”
Ptr Gumer says, “One of new comers name sis. Lesly weeping for being touch by the word of God that preached by sis. Joan..praise God..”
Ptr Redgie says, “Rice and personal hygiene kits given out for Castilla needy members. Thank you very much!” Rice distributions are being done in place of milk feedings. The hygiene kits were composed of items sent in balikbayan boxes, which were shipped in mid-December in response to Typhoon Tisoy and arrived by the end of February.
In Mabini, Ptr Winston and Sis Espie are also doing distributions of rice and groceries in place of feedings. They are also using this time to do some painting of the inside and outside of the church there.
Here is some info on how COVID restrictions are affecting us:
Just as the government has implemented social distancing and lock-downs in the U.S., the Philippine national and local governments have implemented restrictions as well.
Let’s pray for protection from COVID and that the threat lessens as soon as possible. Let’s pray that everyone turns more to the Lord for hope and strength, and that ministry can continue as best as possible.
Thankfully, COVID has not been reported in Sorsogon Province or the Bicol Region yet, but they are concerned that it could be soon. Since they are part of Luzon Island, they have to follow government restrictions that apply to all of Luzon.
This is what Sister Ofel of PAMI’s Emmaus Bible Institute said on Thursday, March 19:
Hi Bro. Mike, The city of Sorsogon is in community quarantine which means people should stay in their houses, only 1 person per household can go to market or grocery store, etc to buy food and other stuffs. There are limited public transportation. Classes of all levels are temporarily suspend for a month. Checkpoints in border of Sorsogon monitoring passenger’s temperature using thermal scanner entering Sorsogon. Curfew for all is 9 pm. I decided that EBI students went home for a month. We will postponing the Graduation. Commodities are getting higher because of panic buying. Internship is also suspended, also Padaba (Compassion) classes, bible studies because social distancing is implemented for a month.
Enhanced Community Quarantine for Luzon. 1. By virtue of an Executive Order of the Office of the President we will have a Luzon-wide community quarantine. 2. We will have a curfew of 8pm to 5am for non-essential personnel on the streets. Exempted are health care workers, peace and order officers, workers from the night shift of the Processing zones with valid ID’s, and LGU officers. 3. Malls are ordered closed for the duration of the executive order. 4. Restaurants can only accept take-home and delivery services. Dine in is strictly prohibited. 5. Banks, groceries, supermarkets, pharmacies, pawn shops, hardwares, and wet markets will remain open. 6. Fiestas, karakols, parades, and other related public assemblies are cancelled. 7. Common religious congregations are strongly discouraged. 8. Gaming parlours, computer gaming shops, wellness Centers, cockpits arenas, will be closed. 9. Students on OJT are no longer required to report. 10. Needless loitering in the streets at any time of the day will be denied. 11. Public playgrounds, basketball courts, beaches, and public parks will be closed. 12. Public utility offices, Bayad centers, and related financial services will remain open. 13. ‘Tianges’, open dry good markets, side walk vending, will be closed.
14. This will become effective March 17, at 12:01 am.
This is what PAMI field director and head of the Bulan Church, Ptr Virgilio Fulo, said:
He wrote on March 17th:
Thanks Bro. Mike for your e-mail.
Yes small and big gatherings strongly discouraged by the government local and national level. The gov’t advice to do Community quarantine. They advice just to stay home. And has a curfew hour from 8pm to 5am.
Even though this time there is no victim in Bicol but the point of the gov’t. is to be very careful. In order to be safe. That’s the exercise – all precautionary measures.
Here in Bulan we decided the BJCM (Bulan for Jesus Christ Movement) to cancel temporary the Sunday service and prayer meeting for a period of one month.
What we will do now is to have family devotion in every family. If there is member attend the church we will have a short devotion and prayer it is an informal service. In order not to paralyzed the service.
With a minimum of 50 persons they discouraged to cancel the activities even Barangay’s assembly is cancel.
The purpose of this home and community quarantine is to stop and not to spread the virus.
Governor of Sorsogon and all the mayors from different town of Sorsogon said from the order and memo that all classes and graduation rites and ceremony will be cancel and suspended from March 15 to April 14 just to avoid Covid 19.
However, below are the new memo and order
of the government regarding with the Covid19:
CAB SEC KARLO NOGRALES:
Enhanced guidelines on the imposition of community quarantine over entire Luzon effective midnight of 17 March 2020, expiring midnight 13 April 2020
1. Classes in all levels suspended until April 14.
2. Mass gatherings to be prohibited
3. Strict home quarantine in all households. Movements limited to accessing food and essential health services.
4. Heightened presence of uniformed personnel
5. Work from home for executive department except for other critical services like PNP
6. Only private establishments providing basic, food and medicine production like public markets, supermarkets, hospitals, medical clinics, pharmacies and food preparation and delivery water refilling manufacturing and processing plants of basic food products banks money transfers power energy water and telecom supplies shall be open.
In all such open establishments, management should ensure strict skeletal workforce and social distancing
7: BPOs and export oriented industries remain operational subject by 18 March 2020, all employees to be provided temporary housing by employers
8. Media personnel to be allowed travel within contained area if they secure ID from PCOO within 72 hours.
9. Mass public transport facilities shall be suspended
10. Land air sea travel will be restricted. Outbound passengers from any airport in Luzon within can only 72 hours. Inbound in transit shall be allowed entry applicable to quarantine procedures
11. Movement of cargo within and from Luzon shall be unhampered. DOTR will be issuing guidelines. All movement for medicines, etc, shall be allowed. Departments will formulate guidelines, for social amelioration.
Measures include
– Moratorium on rent
– Reprieve on utility bills
– Assistance to MSMEs
– 13th month pay release
– Food assistance to most needy
Failure to abide will criminal and administrative punishment. DOJ will make appropriate chargers for those who do not follow.
IATF (inter agency task force will convene daily to meet until crisis subsides.)
Thank you and God bless Bro.Mike.
Your partner in ministry,
Ptr.Virgilio
And he wrote this on March 19:
Hi Bro. Mike,
In Christ precious Name.
Today the Barangay captain issue that in household there is only one person allowed to go to market doing outside business.
Strictly in Bulan proper. About going to Sorsogon my wife got already a certification from Barangay but the problem there is no transportation going to Sorsogon all kinds of vehicles is strictly prohibited.
That is the problem that we are facing this point in time to do encashment.
But we will try to get certification that can allow me to go to Sorsogon with special permission.
About Church activities like Bible study and Feeding programs, I would like to reiterate that this is not allowed this time. Also all PAMI gatherings will be also cancel. Probably after this Covid19 is over we will continue to pursue all PAMI gatherings but not in this time.
We don’t have any meeting this time. Yes what we are doing is to study and research to prepare for modular classes.
Thank you and God Bless.
In His Name,
Ptr. Vir and family
This is what he said on March 24:
Good day! Our encashment has been successful despite of the greater restriction by the government. We went to Sorsogon at 7am and back to Bulan at 12 noon because Sorsogon City has a curfew hour – from 1pm to 6am begin this day March 24. Thanks for your prayer.
Thanks again for the gifts from balikbayan boxes. I think it will be a great help to the members of the church especially thanks for the half bonuses that you have given to us. Thanks for all the PAMI board for their support and prayer.
This moment, we are facing crisis that all our activities has been cancelled and paralyzed . What we need is to pray more to the Lord. Because God is in control of things happened in the world. We didin’t know the purpose of God on why this things happened to us. All of us are very much affected.
I think this time we can spend more time in prayer, reading the Bible and worshiping the Lord.
About going to the market we have a very limited time the barangay is given us only 2 hours . That’s what is happening today.
God bless,
Ptr.Virgilio
This is what he said on March 28:
Good day, last night I heard about three persons who are positive of Covid19 in Legazpi that’s why everyone here in Sorsogon or in Bulan must be very careful because it’s about only few kilometers away from Sorsogon.
But thank God because every Christian has to prepare and they can give more time to worship and pray to the Lord.
Some maybe be afraid because of Covid19. We are praying that this will be stop because they can disturb us. On March 29 the President of the Philippines declared a prayer rally – just to rebuke and to stop Covid19.
Tomorrow there are millions of christian in the Philippines will pray and intervene to the Lord.
Thank God because even though there is only one person in the family that were allowed to go to the market – it is difficult for us to do this and the Barangay gives a very limited time, thanks God we can survive.
When we go to Sorsogon last Tuesday because of the weather was very hot, I feel headache and fever and also going to the market every other day . Please include me in your prayers. Thanks and God bless Bro. Mike.
Your partner in ministry,
Ptr.Virgilio