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Wakes restricted during enhanced quarantine - Eleazar


Wakes are also restricted while enhanced community quarantine is being observed in the entire Luzon, Philippine National Police (PNP) deputy chief for operations Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said Tuesday.

Eleazar said wake is a public gathering and all forms of mass gathering are prohibited while the mandatory quarantine is in place.

"Sinama po namin 'yun. Una, ang puwede lang po sumundo o makipaglibing, 'yung immediate family, hindi po ang extended family. So wala pong wake, 'yung mismong libing na,  kasi 'yun (wake) po ay mass gathering," Eleazar said at a press conference.

He said they understand that personally comforting the family of departed ones is part of the Filipino culture but the current situation of the country calls for restriction to this practice.

"Mayroon po tayong kultura, mayroon po tayong relihiyon pero iba po ang ating sitwasyon ngayon. So sinasabi po natin, kasama po sa exemption 'yung magbibigay ng huling basbas, whether minister, pari, imam, o pastor. 'Yun lang po ang exempted na puwede magtravel from their home to that place pati na sa sementeryo," he explained.

The Philippine government imposed the enhanced community quarantine to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Aside from banning public gatherings, mass transportation was also prohibited until April 13. Some government agencies have provided free services to transport frontline workers.

According to the Department of Health, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country climbed to 501, as of Tuesday. The fatalities were 33.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said the DOH could be missing half of the actual total number of COVID-19 cases in the country due to the limited testing capacity of laboratories.—AOL, GMA News

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