Allow more people in churches to prevent ‘outside crowd’: prelate

FILE: Devotees use umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun while attending mass outside the famous Quiapo Church on Sunday (Sept. 13, 2020). (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA – A Quiapo Church official on Friday appealed anew to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to allow more people inside churches.

This came as devotees flocked outside the church to hear Mass on the first Friday of the month, which is an apparent violation of physical distancing protocols amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

“Inside the church health protocols are being observed. Only a few people are inside that is why we are appealing to the IATF to increase the capacity to reduce the number of people outside,” said Fr. Douglas Badong, parochial vicar, in an interview.

He, meanwhile, appealed for understanding and asked the devotees to be organized since they cannot stop them from practicing their faith.

“We urged them for their broad understanding. We also advise them to think of the safety of each other,” Badong added.

In areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), church gatherings are only limited to 10 percent of the venue’s seating capacity.

Metro Manila is currently under GCQ until October 31.

On Thursday, Badong advised devotees of the Black Nazarene to prepare for a different way of celebrating the feast next year as the Covid-19 pandemic persists.

Various activities that are part of religious festivities in the country have since been canceled to prevent further spread of Covid-19.