Bataan IATF bans mass, religious gatherings

BALANGA CITY-- The Bataan Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 (IATF) issued today a resolution temporarily prohibiting mass and religious gatherings in the province.

Governor Albert Raymond Garcia said the temporary ban begins today until further notice due to spike of COVID19 cases in the province.

“This measure aims to prevent the spread of infection and the overcrowding of COVID-19 patients in our hospitals. At least, in this way, we can alleviate the burden of responsibility placed on our health workers and frontliners,” Garcia st r essed .

With this, Garcia urged his constituents to utilize other means of prayer or worship services that would not require physical or social gatherings in a single venue.

“I ask all of you to take extra precautions, deeper understanding, solidarity and obedience because in this way, we can express our deep concern for others, and being responsible citizens,” the local chief executive stressed to Bataeños in a statement.

Prior to the resolution, the municipal governments of Pilar and Mariveles issued an executive order temporarily prohibiting religious gatherings in their respective municipality.

Moreover, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Balanga expressed their cooperation with the provincial government of Bataan on their initiatives to fully combat the rising cases of COVID-19 in Bataan.

“Because of these, we are, once again, closing the doors of the Church and instead, will revert to live streaming of the celebration of the Holy Masses from the 4th of August to until 16th,” Diocese of Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos stated.

The stricter measure on mass gatherings rooted after some attendees of a worship service held on July 19 in Balanga City tested positive to COVID-19, surging number of confirmed cases in the city and other towns in Bataan. (Mar Jay S. Delas Alas/ PIA-3)