Churches’ capacity hike to allow more Pinoys to exercise faith

MANILA – A prelate on Thursday welcomed the government’s decision to allow a maximum of 50-percent seating capacity in religious activities in areas under the general community quarantine.

San Pablo, Laguna Bishop Buenaventura Famadico, chairman of the Commission, said Thursday the latest decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will allow more Filipinos to exercise their faith.

“This is good news. We need to balance what the faithful want which is to go to church and to be with the people with the same faith, to praise and thank God,” Famadico said in an interview over church-run Radio Veritas.

He added that the Catholic Church continues to implement minimum health protocols to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) transmission.

“We also have to be very careful and keep the distance. We make the best of what we have,” Famadico added.

Under IATF Resolution No. 118, religious gatherings are allowed at 30 percent of the venue capacity but local government units can increase this to a maximum of 50 percent capacity in GCQ zones starting June 1.

The National Capital Region (NCR) Plus, which consists of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, is under GCQ with heightened restrictions until June 15.

Areas under the Cordillera Administrative Region, such as Abra, Baguio City, Kalinga, Mountain Province; Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino in Region 2; Batangas and Quezon in Region 4-A; Iligan City in Region 10, Davao City in Region 11, and Lanao del Sur and Cotabato City in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are also placed under GCQ until June 30.