The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has warned local government officials that they will face criminal and administrative charges if they fail to prevent mass gatherings from being held in their jurisdiction.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said the failure of local officials to implement health protocols could result in administrative sanctions or criminal charges for dereliction of duty under the Revised Penal Code.
Under the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force Against COVID-19 (IATF), as of April 15, any type of gathering, whether inside or outside the home is still strictly prohibited in areas under Enhanced Community Quarantine ( ECQ), Modified ECQ (MECQ), and General Community Quarantine (GCQ).
Mass gatherings with up to 50 percent of the seating or venue capacity are allowed for areas in the Modified GCQ.
Religious gatherings are prohibited in areas under the ECQ, but are allowed in the MECQ but only 10-30 percent of the seating capacity, depending on local government regulations, while from 30 to 50% seating capacity is allowed in the GCQ and 50% in MGCQ areas.
Local execs warned vs mass gatherings
Necrological services and burials for those who died not due to COVID-19 are permitted but limited to family members on ECQ and MECQ while 30 to 50 percent capacity on GCQ and up to 50% capacity on MGCQ.
Movie screenings, concerts, sporting events, entertainment activities, and work conferences are still strictly prohibited in ECQ, MECQ, and GCQ but allow 50 percent of seating capacity in areas already under MGCQ, if ventilation standards are complied with.
DILG reiterated the guidelines on mass gatherings after a resort in Caloocan was closed due to its violation of quarantine protocols.
Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan ordered the immediate closure of Gubat sa Ciudad resort after it was discovered that its operation continues despite the existing modified enhanced community quarantine or MECQ.
Malapitan has also charged the resort management, officials of the 171 barangays under its jurisdiction, and all those who swam at the resort for violating the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) rules and health protocols.
The closure of Gubat sa Ciudad came after a video of a crowd, mostly children swimming at the resort on May 9 despite the ongoing implementation of MECQ in Metro Manila.
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