MANILA – Local government units (LGUs) will be held liable for mass gatherings, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Eduardo Año said.
Under the Revised Penal Code, local officials may be administratively charged for dereliction of duty if they fail to enforce health protocols, he explained.
But Año made it clear, “Hindi po gusto ng DILG na dumating sa puntong magsasampa ng kaso kaya sana ipatupad nang maayos ng LGUs ang polisiya sa mass gatherings ayon sa quarantine classification ng kanilang lugar.”
Gatherings outside residences and gatherings in residences are prohibited in areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), modified ECQ (MECQ), and general community quarantine (GCQ).
Gatherings of up to 50 percent of a venue’s seating capacity are allowed in areas under modified GCQ (MGCQ) such as the entire Western Visayas.
Gatherings for the provision of government services and authorized humanitarian activities, however, are allowed in all levels of community quarantine.
Religious gatherings in ECQ areas are not allowed, while 10 to 30 percent of a venue’s seating capacity is allowed in MECQ areas, 30 to 50 percent in GCQ areas and 50 percent in MGCQ areas.
Necrological services and funerals for those who died of causes other than coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are allowed but limited to family members in ECQ and MECQ areas.
In areas under GCQ, it is allowed up to 30 to 50 percent of the venue’s capacity while under MGCQ, it is allowed up to 50 percent.
Movie screenings, concerts, sporting events, entertainment activities, and work conferences are prohibited in areas under ECQ, MECQ, and GCQ. It is, however, allowed up to 50 percent in areas under MGCQ.
Based on the latest Department of Health data, the Philippines has a total of 1,094,849 COVID-19 cases, of which 63,376 were active infections./PN
