UPDATE AS OF MAY 1: Update: Work, church gatherings still prohibited under GCQ, Palace says

Church services and other religious and essential work meetings are allowed in areas placed under the general community quarantine (GCQ) as long as quarantine protocols are followed, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Thursday, Apr. 30 in a press briefing.

Roque reiterated that the GCQ protocols include observing two-meter physical distancing and mandatory wearing of face masks at all times. These measures were recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease and approved by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Essential industries like telecommunications, food retail, agriculture and other non-leisure businesses will also resume operations under the GCQ.

[READ: General community quarantine, explained]

Mass gatherings, however, are still prohibited. But Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Eduardo Año said that there is no specific number of people to identify a mass gathering when asked about what defines “mass.”

The GCQ will take effect on May 1 in select provinces and cities.

Photo courtesy of Tomas Robertson on Unsplash

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