Play Video

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appealed to religious groups to stop holding mass gatherings as the country battles yet another COVID-19 surge linked to the holidays and the Omicron variant.

“All gatherings are not allowed. This is just an appeal to the hierarchy of the church to look at it on a broader understanding that it would really be a superspreader,” said Duterte on Tuesday, January 4, during a meeting with pandemic task force officials in Malacañang.

He said the government might send a letter to religious leaders to formalize the appeal.

“In advance, I apologize for this but I have to do it,” said Duterte.

Earlier in the meeting, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III recommended a suspension of mass gatherings and a return to online activities.

Dr. John Wong, a doctor who advises the government, also told Duterte that upcoming major events, like the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene (also called Traslacion), Feast of Santo Niño, and the Chinese New Year could become superspreader events.

The Traslacion this year has already been suspended by Manila City Hall. Current plans are for a motorcade to be done in selected parts of Manila but Mayor Isko Moreno is expected to discuss more developments on this matter on Wednesday, January 5.

In Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, and other areas under Alert Level 3, in-person religious gatherings are allowed based on pandemic task force resolutions.

Currently, rules allow for such gatherings to take up 30% of an indoor venue and 50% of an outdoor venue. It’s not yet clear how Duterte’s and Duque’s latest pronouncement will affect these rules. No new pandemic task force resolution has been issued reflecting the recommendation to suspend mass gatherings.

Wong, in the Tuesday meeting, said the increase in infections “looks like the signature of Omicron,” a more transmissible variant that has entered the country during the holidays. – Rappler.com