Palace to CBCP: Submit social distancing measures to IATF

Malacañang on Monday urged the Catholic Church to submit to the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 response its social distancing guidelines during religious gatherings.

“Inaanyayahan po namin ang Simbahang Katolika, makipag-ugnayan hindi lamang po sa local government units kung paano ipatutupad ang social distancing,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing.

“Kung siguro iyong CBCP [Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines] can officially communicate with IATF kung paano nila gagawin po iyan.”

Only five people could attend a religious gathering in areas under modified enhanced community quarantine and 10 people in places under general community quarantine, according to the guidelines issued by the government over the weekend.

Bishop Broderick Pabillo, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, found the restrictions “impractical” and said these were allegedly decided without any consultation with the Catholic Church.

The Palace said on April 30 that religious gatherings will be allowed in areas under general community quarantine as long as safety protocols are observed, only to backtrack later following complaints from local officials. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News