By Genalyn Kabiling and Argyll Geducos
The government will strictly prohibit mass gatherings of people, including in places of worship, as part of the community quarantine in Metro Manila that will be enforced from March 15 to April 14, 2020 to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a Palace official said Friday.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte confers with Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles during the meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) at the Malacañan Palace on March 12, 2020.
(RICHARD MADELO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Likewise, President Duterte directed barangay officials to enforce the measures adopted by the government to address the threat of COVID-19 in the country or face jail time for dereliction of duty.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the government intends to appeal to the heads of different religious groups to observe the government's restrictions on large gatherings of people to avoid infections.
“Mahirap lang sabihin kahit yung worship sa simbahan, 'yun po ay ang pinababawal na po (It is difficult to say but worship in churches will be prohibited),” Nograles said in a radio interview Friday morning.
“Kasi yung isipin mo sa San Juan, place of workship yun, so ito kailangan mas strict enforcement tayo dito (Because if you think about the incident in San Juan, it occurred in a place of worship so there will be strict enforcement here),” he added, referring to a Muslim prayer hall frequented by a confirmed COVID-19 case in San Juan City.
“Siyempre papakiusapan ang heads of different churches - Catholic, Christian, Muslim, pakikiusapan, pag-uusapan namin (We will make appeals to the heads of different churches from the Catholic, Christian, and Muslim groups. We will make the appeal, we will discuss it),” he said.
Nograles, in a press conference at the Palace, said mass gatherings such as concerts, large seminars and conventions, sporting events, and social gatherings, will also be prohibited for the next 30 days.
He said they will provide more details about the measure, “particularly as regards masses and worship services and religious gatherings.”
“We know this is a huge adjustment for those in Metro Manila but we ask everyone to cooperate because the consequence of allowing these gatherings during this crucial time could be painful in the long run,” he said.
Couples were also advised to postpone their wedding or limit the number of their guests as the government prohibits mass gatherings while Metro Manila is under community quarantine for 30 days due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said weddings, if they cannot be postponed, can proceed as long as they limit the number of their guests to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Do your job or face jail term
In his address to the public Thursday evening, Duterte said he was tapping barangay executives to control the spread of COVID-19.
“I do not have enough soldiers and policemen to cover every inch of the country. Meron ako na magagamit ko, ang (What I have that I can use are the) barangay captains,” he said.
However, Duterte said they should enforce the resolution on COVID-19 precautions or they could be suspended or even dismissed if they will be remiss in their duty.
“Simply not imposing a rule imposed by the government, you lose your position or dismiss and worst you will go to jail,” he said. “You better implement these. If not, you go to prison for dereliction of duty.”
The President reminded barangay officials that they should do their job because they wanted to be elected and serve in the first place.
“You’ve been elected there. You sought the position. Pinili natin 'to (We chose this). Nobody orders us for us to be where we find ourselves now, tapos tatamad-tamaran ka (and yet you'll be lazy). That’s not the way how to do it," Duterte said.
“It falls upon your shoulders to exactly do the regulations the government wants to happen."
Among the measures adopted by the government to address the COVID-19 situation was the extension of the suspension of classes in all levels in NCR to April 12, 2020. Duterte had earlier asked local governments to ensure that students will be staying at home during the period.
PNP on alert
The Philippine National Police (PNP), meanwhile, placed five of its police regional offices (PROs) on full alert status effective Friday as a proactive measure to prevent the spread of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Signed by Police Major General Emmanuel Luis Licup, the Directorate for Operations (TDO) issued a memorandum declaring the highest alert status in the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), Central Luzon (PRO-3), Calabarzon (PRO-4A), Mimaropa (PRO-4B), and Bicol Region (PRO-5).
It took effect at 1 a.m. of March 13 and will only be lifted upon the discretion of the PNP.
Under a full alert status, all day offs and vacation leaves are cancelled to ensure the availability of policemen to respond to any situation.
“Likewise, other PROs shall have the discretion to raise their alert level depending on the prevailing situation in their respective AORs ,” the memorandum read.
READ MORE: NCRPO, four other police regional offices on full alert due to COVID-19
Community quarantine
In a public address Thursday night, President Duterte placed Metro Manila on community quarantine, implemented a ban on mass gatherings, among others, in the next 30 days to control and stop the outbreak of the coronavirus.
“For Manila, may ‘ayaw naming gamitin 'yan,' pero kasi takot kayong sabihing lockdown (we don’t like to use the term because you’re scared when we call it a lockdown), but it's a lockdown. There is no struggle of power here. Walang away dito, walang giyera (There’s no fight, there’s no war). It's just a matter of protecting and defending you from COVID-19,” Duterte said during his public address Thursday.
Code Red Sublevel 2, the highest alert in the Department of Health's system on the coronavirus, has been raised by the government following the rapid surge in local cases of infections.
“Mass gatherings, defined as a planned or spontaneous event where the number of people attending could strain the planning and response resources of the community hosting the event, shall be prohibited during the said period,” the President said, reading a portion of the resolution on the urgent measures against the coronavirus spread.
Nograles said the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases was scheduled to meet Friday to flesh out details of the strict social distancing measures, including the implementation of the ban on mass gatherings.
Another measure against the spread of COVID-19 was the month-long work suspension in the Executive Branch.
But Nograles said government agencies providing frontline services will remain in operation despite the community quarantine.
Nograles said these concerned agencies, exempted from the work suspension in the Executive Branch, must deploy a skeletal staff to ensure uninterrupted public services.
“Skeletal staffing patterns will be put in place and telecommuting and telework may also be considered in order to ensure that public services continue uninterrupted while these measures are in place,” he said in a Palace press briefing.
Other developments
- There will be no public celebration of the Holy Mass and no public activities in all the churches in the Archdiocese of Manila for seven days, starting Saturday, March 14, until Friday, March 20
- Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin Jr. confirmed on Friday that a young diplomat and employee of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York City has tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
- The government has encouraged travelers going to the provinces to use the airports in Clark, Cebu, and other transport facilities outside Metro Manila that are not under quarantine.
- San Juan City now has nine confirmed cases of COVID-19, Mayor Francis Zamora said Friday.
- The Philippines will implement a travel ban for those coming from the United Kingdom and Ireland as part of the government’s effort to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country. (With reports from Martin A. Sadongdong, Roy C. Mabasa, Aaron B. Recuenco, and Jhon Aldrin Casinas).