‘Threat of COVID transmission may bar faithful anew from places of worship’

A devotee while praying inside the Saint Peter’s Church along Commonwealth Avenue. The church is now open to parishioners but only few visits the church and turned to online masses / livestream to profess their faith. INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

MANILA, Philippines — The faithful can still be barred from churches and other places of worship despite eased restrictions in general community quarantine (GCQ) areas should there be a “visible threat” of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Sunday said the purpose of allowing 10 percent attendance in religious gatherings in areas under GCQ is to allow churches to “test the effectiveness of their health protocols.”

The Department of Justice is part of the Inter Agency Task Force of Emerging Infections Diseases.

“But this is without prejudice to the discretion of the churches and religious congregations to voluntarily suspend worship activities at any time should there be any visible threat of COVID-19 transmission,” Guevarra said in a message to reporters.

Religious activities in areas under GCQ will be allowed starting July 10 but only at 10 percent of the church or venue’s capacity.

Meanwhile, places of worship in modified GCQ areas are allowed to accommodate up to 50 percent of the venue’s capacity.

Guevarra said “pilot dry runs” will be conducted in a few selected places of worship until July 10.

At present, Metro Manila, Benguet province except Baguio City; Cavite, Rizal, Leyte except Tacloban City and Ormoc City, Southern Leyte, and Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Talisay, Minglanilla, and Consolacion in Cebu are under GCQ until July 15.

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