IATF allows 30% capacity in religious gatherings in NCR+, other GCQ areas

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has allowed 30 percent of venue capacity in religious gatherings in the National Capital Region (NCR) and other areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said on Friday, May 21.
Aside from the NCR and the provinces of Laguna, Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal, other areas under GCQ until May 31 are Apayao, Baguio City, Benguet, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Abra, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Quezon, Puerto Princesa City, Iligan City, Davao City, and Lanao del Sur.
“At its regular meeting yesterday (May 21) the IATF, with the full support of the Metro Manila mayors, granted the request of the churches to allow religious gatherings up to 30 percent of venue capacity in the NCR+ and other areas under the heightened GCQ until 31 May 2021,” he said.
Last Tuesday, May 18, Guevarra said “in the latest resolution de-escalating the NCR+ to GCQ, the maximum capacity for religious gatherings was still pegged at 10 percent, but the flexible clause was omitted, thus making religious gatherings ‘worse off’ than previously.”
But he also said last Tuesday that the government is ready to “rectify its oversight’ and will soon allow at least 30 percent capacity for religious gatherings in areas under GCQ.
The “oversight” was brought to the attention of the IATF by certain church groups and some Metro Manila mayors, he added.