Don't bathe in rivers, flagellants told

HAGONOY, Bulacan, Philippines – Flagellants with open wounds on their bodies are again expected to troop to rivers in the province to bathe on Good Friday.

But health officials said this could be dangerous because of possible infections from viruses and other bacteria in the water that could penetrate the body through the open wounds.

Dr. Joycelyn Gomez, provincial health officer, told The STAR that they respect the faith and practices of the flagellants, but said that in case an unusual thing happen, they should immediately seek medical attention.

“We cannot discount possible infections because our rivers are not as clean as before,” Gomez said.

Flagellants in the province traditionally bathe in rivers after their penitential act.

Dr. Rodante Parulan, medical health officer of Pandi town, and Dr. Earvin Paz Bacon-De la Rosa of the Manila City Health Office shared the same view.

Both doctors said flagellants are courting danger by taking a bath in rivers with open wounds.

De la Rosa advised the flagellants to take a bath and cleanse themselves using clean water. She, however, did not discount God’s divine intervention and the faith of men in the healing of their wounds.

According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, four of the five major rivers in Bulacan are biologically dead.

These are the Meycauayan, Marilao, Bocaue and Balagtas rivers. The only living river in the province is Angat River, although open dumps along its banks are increasingly polluting it.

Meanwhile, Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III, spokesman of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said flagellation should be done in the context of penance and not as panata (vow).

“These are two different things. When you do a panata, you are doing it because you have a favor to ask. That is wrong because it is like you are instrumentalizing God. While penance, it is for the atonement of sins,” he said.

“We are not against flagellation per se but the reason for doing that... You should do it because you love God and God loves you. Love should be the motive,” he added. – With Evelyn Macairan