Religious gatherings in MGCQ areas OK’s, with restrictions

MANILA, Philippines — The government has allowed masses and other public gatherings in areas that have shifted to the most lenient modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

In its Resolution 43, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases listed mass gatherings among those that are already permitted in the MGCQ areas.

However, no more than half of the capacity of venues may be filled to ensure physical distancing.

“Mass gatherings such as, but not limited to, movie screenings, concerts, sporting events and other entertainment activities, religious services and work conferences shall be allowed, provided participants shall be limited to 50 percent of the seating or venue capacity,” the resolution read.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the IATF believes that social distancing can be observed if only half of a venue is filled up.

“These gatherings are allowed only in MGCQ areas... The rule is applicable to mass gatherings in general, not just to religious gatherings,” Roque said at a press briefing yesterday.

Only Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Central Visayas regions, the cities of Baguio, Iloilo, Zamboanga and Davao and the provinces of Pangasinan and Albay remain under general community quarantine (GCQ).

The rest of the country is now under MGCQ, the last quarantine scenario before the so-called “new normal.”

Under IATF guidelines, religious gatherings are not really prohibited in GCQ areas although the number of persons allowed to join is too small, a limit that some sectors said effectively barred the holding of worship services.

Only up to ten people may participate in religious gatherings in GCQ areas even if some religious groups have presented detailed proposals on implementing social distancing during masses.

Resolution No. 43 also expanded the definition of accommodation establishments to include hotels, resorts, apartment hotels, tourist inns, motels, pension houses, private homes for homestay, ecolodges, serviced apartments, condotels and bed and breakfast facilities.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) welcomed the decision with Fr. Jerome Secillano saying: “It’s better than not being allowed at all.”

Secillano, who heads the CBCP-Public Affairs Committee, noted though that it would be complicated for the Catholic Church to determine the required 50 percent attendance during the public masses in MGCQ areas.

He added that the IATF should have just simply followed the health protocols set by the Department of Health (DOH) on mass gatherings.

Pasig Bishop Hubert Mylo Vergara said that the IATF – through Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra – has informed them about allowing the holding of religious gatherings with a large number of attendees only in areas under MGCQ.

Reginald Malicdem, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Manila, said that they will coordinate with the government as far as religious gatherings are concerned in response to the order of Pope Francis, which was supported by the CBCP.

But Malicdem said that the Archdiocese of Manila would remain closed to the public as he emphasized that it cannot comply with the 10-person limit on public masses.

CBCP president and Davao Bishop Romulo Valles urged Catholic church leaders to stay calm and lead the public in understanding and complying with the government’s health protocols as he emphasized that it was not meant for the Catholic Church alone.