The expansion of allowed capacity for religious events may be discussed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
According to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, the “request of the bishops for a higher limit” may be included in the agenda of the next IATF-EID meeting.
Archdiocese of Manila Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo said expanding the capacity should already be considered following the handling of recent events such as the Feasts of the Black Nazarene and Santo Niño.
“The findings of the OCTA team can have persuasive effects on the policies of the IATF, if it could be shown to have a sound empirical basis,” Guevarra stated.
“Of course, the government’s own data will be controlling most of the time,” he added.
Currently, the permitted church capacity for areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) is 50 percent and 30 percent for areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) like Mega Manila. – Report from Kenneth Paciente
