COVID-19 task force allows groups of 10 or less to visit cemeteries, memorial parks

MANILA, Philippines — Small groups of 10 or less people are now permitted by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases to visit cemeteries and memorial parks amid the novel coronavirus-induced lockdown.

During Friday's Palace briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the IATF made this decision on Thursday night when it amended the implementation guidelines of the nationwide community quarantine.

"The IATF added a new provision wherein visits to memorial parks and cemeteries are allowed but should be limited to groups of 10 or less," Roque said in Filipino.

He added that the task force will leave the total number of people allowed in cemeteries and memorial parks to the discretion of their management.

Roque said the IATF also submitted its recommendations for new quarantine classifications to President Rodrigo Duterte who will announce them to the public on or before June 29.

Most of the country is either under general community quarantine (GCQ) or an even more relaxed modified GCQ — with the exceptions of Cebu City which is under an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and Talisay City which is under a modified ECQ.

The health department on Friday announced a total of 34,073 recorded cases of COVID-19 and a death toll of 1,224.