By Argyll Geducos Malacañang urged the different churches in the Philippines to coordinate and propose physical distancing measures to their respective local government units (LGUs) to convince them to allow religious gatherings amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantine. (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Manila Archdiocese Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo had earlier said they have already set temporary guidelines to be implemented when the government decides to allow religious gatherings to take place. In his Monday press briefing, presidential spokesman Harry Roque reiterated the importance of implementing physical distancing in religious gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19. He urged churches to work closely with LGUs who originally opposed the resumption of the said religious activities because it will be impossible for them to implement the guidelines inside places of worship. "So kinakailangan po talaga na magkaroon ng (There has to be a) close coordination between the different churches and their local government units," Roque stressed. "Sila po mismo (The church themselves), they have to present a plan to the local government units na magpapatupad ng quarantine kung paano nila i-implement ang social distancing (who will enforce the quarantine on how they can implement social distancing)," he added. Guidelines Roque said the set of guidelines proposed by Bishop Pabillo was not circulated in any of the meetings he attended with the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. The guidelines set by the Archdiocese of Manila said there will be a half-hour gap between masses to allow the church to be disinfected after each service. There will be lesser masses on Sundays and more services on weekdays. Anticipated masses on Saturdays will be held earlier at 3 p.m. To maintain physical distancing and prevent the spread of the disease, churchgoers will have to follow the places indicated in the pews. Touching and wiping of religious images is temporarily prohibited. Holy water fonts will remain empty. Instead, hand sanitizers and a foot bath will be placed in church entrances. It shall be mandatory to wear face masks and have their temperature taken before entering the church. There will be no holding of hands during the singing of the Our Father. Children and the elderly are advised to join in the online mass instead. For baptism, only the parents and one set of godparents will be allowed per child. Only simple weddings will also be allowed with only the bride, groom, one set of sponsors, and the immediate family present. For funerals, only the immediate family will be allowed during funeral masses in the church while observing proper social distancing. The bereaved family is advised not to bring their dead to the church anymore if a mass has already been done during the wake. Roque said majority of the members of the IATF are still in favor of allowing religious gatherings under the general community quarantine (GCQ). "I'm sure po na karamihan naman ng mga miyembro sa IATF ay sang-ayon na ipagpatuloy ang mga religious gatherings (most of the IATF members are allowing the resumption of religious gatherings). They need not be convinced. Ang tumutol talaga mga local officials (The ones opposing it are the local officials)," he said. On April 30, the IATF allowed the resumption of religious gatherings in places under the GCQ but had to backtrack due to the overwhelming opposition of local officials.