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IATF keen on keeping restriction on religious gatherings in GCQ areas -Guevarra
By NICOLE-ANNE C. LAGRIMAS, GMA News The "prevailing sentiment" in the national government is to keep restrictions on mass gatherings, including religious activities, in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) given the large number of COVID-19 cases there, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Tuesday.
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases hosted a meeting between representatives of the religious sector and of local government units on Monday morning, Guevarra said.
When the IATF met later that day, "the prevailing sentiment was to keep the present guideline on mass gatherings, including religious worship (i.e., max of 10 persons in GCQ areas), in view of the large number of COVID cases in GCQ areas, especially in the NCR," Guevarra, an IATF member, said.
He repeated that areas under modified GCQ will be allowed to hold religious gatherings up to a maximum of 50% of the worship venue capacity starting June 1.
Churchgoers in these areas will still have to observe health standards, he said over the weekend.
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"If the reduction in COVID cases will be significant by then, I believe that the IATF will be amenable to the participation of more people in religious gatherings," Guevarra said in a message to reporters.
President Rodrigo Duterte announced last week that all areas in the country will be under modified GCQ beginning June 1, except Metro Manila, Regions II, III, IV-A, as well as Pangasinan, Albay, and the cities of Davao, Baguio, and Iloilo, which will be under GCQ.
Cebu City and Mandaue City, Region VII and Zamboanga City will also be under GCQ, according to Malacanang.
Philippine health authorities have recorded 18,638 COVID-19 cases in the country, as of Monday afternoon. Of this number, 960 patients have died and 3,979 have recovered. —AOL, GMA News