Church capacity still limited to 10 under GCQ

The government decided to continue limiting attendance to church activities in Metro Manila to 10 people during the general community quarantine (GCQ), Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Friday.

Guevarra, a member of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, addressed queries by Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara and Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo on why attendance in church activities remained limited to 10 people despite GCQ being observed in the National Capital Region.

During the GCQ that was first implemented from Jun. 1 to Aug. 3, religious worship and other mass gatherings in churches were allowed up to 10 percent of their estimated capacity.

Under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine from Aug. 4 to 18, attendance was restricted to 10 people.

‘Unwanted part’

“Much as I would like to have a progressive and continuous movement, public health considerations bear heavily on [IATF] decisions,” Guevarra said in his text message to Vergara.

Guevarra also said the IATF heeded the request of Metro Manila mayors who wanted a stricter GCQ to include keeping church attendance at 10 people maximum.

“We just have to continue living our lives with the COVID-19 virus as an unwanted part of it. We just have to deal with it and continue to protect ourselves,” he said.

But in areas under GCQ outside of Metro Manila, the 10-percent rule for church activities applies, Guevarra said.