The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said on Sunday that the essence of Holy Week is still observed by Filipinos, despite treating the holidays as vacations.

CBCP Permanent Committee on Public Affairs Executive Secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano said in a radio interview that even with people having leisure activities during Holy Week and treating it as time off from their jobs, churches are still filled with visitors.

“Matagal na namang observation yan. Di naman natin masisisi dahil ang Semana Santa ay bakasyon talaga para sa pagtatrabaho natin. Yun lang, you’d be surprised na kapag Semana Santa, nakikita mo ang mga simbahan, dinadagsa at dinudumog talaga ng mga tao,” said Secillano.

(That's a long-time observation. We can't blame them because Holy Week is really a vacation from our work. But you'd be surprised that during Holy Week, you see the churches flocked and crowded with people.)

“Hindi mo rin masasabi na nalalayo yung Pilipino, o yung mga tao ay nawawala na sa tunay na diwa ng Semana Santa,” he continued.

(You can't say that Filipinos are falling away or that people are losing the true spirit of Holy Week.)

Despite this, the CBCP official said that there still needs to be a constant reminder for Filipinos about the true essence of Holy Week, and not only to go on vacation.

“Merong mga pagkakataon na kinakailangan din magbakasyon ng tao, pero yung mga taong nagbabakasyon naman palagay ko nagkakaroon din sila ng pagkakataon na magdasal,” he said.

(There are times when people need to take a vacation, but I think that people who go on vacation also have the opportunity to pray.)

“Palagay ko nandoon pa naman yung diwa, yun lamang kinakailangan natin ng constant na paalala para hindi talaga nakakalimutan yung Semana Santa, mga banal na araw yan tinutukan natin. Ginagawa natin yung mga dapat na gawin na religious practices, hindi yung tipong pa-swimming swimming lang tayo, pareyu-reunion lang, pa gimik-gimik lang.”

(I think the spirit is still there; it's just that we need a constant reminder so that we don't forget Holy Week, those are the holy days we focus on. We are doing the religious practices that should be done; we should just not go swimming, just have reunions and gimmicks.)

Secillano then urged the Filipinos on Palm Sunday not to go to church but to pray and open their hearts to accept Jesus.

“Paanyaya sa mga tao na pumunta tayo ng simbahan, magdasal tayo. Hindi lang ang pagdadala ng palaspas ang mahalaga rito. Mahalaga rito ang pagbubukas natin ng kalooban natin para tanggapin natin si Hesus,” he said.

(I’m inviting the people to go to church and pray. It is not just the carrying of the palm fronds that is important here. It is important here that we open our hearts to accept Jesus.)