Manila bans Xmas parties to keep COVID-19 in check

Christmas parties, carol singing, and large family gatherings were on Tuesday banned in the Philippines in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The southeast Asian country, renowned for having one of the longest holiday seasons in the world from September to January, was gearing up for muted festive celebrations following the government announcement.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said: “Like the plan not to allow Christmas parties, Christmas caroling will be prohibited. There will be no mass gatherings. A family reunion is considered mass gathering.”

During a press conference, Malacanang spokesman Harry Roque said that residents in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) would be allowed to host indoor gatherings for a maximum of 10 people. “People who are caught in mass gatherings during the Christmas season will be dealt with according to the local ordinance. At the very minimum, they will be asked to disassemble. But they could be fined or face another form of penalty as provided in the local ordinance (in their area),” he added.

Roque’s comments on Tuesday came a day after President Rodrigo Duterte’s weekly address to the nation in which he announced that the Philippines’ capital region (Metro Manila) would remain under a GCQ until the end of the year.

Duterte said the government’s decision was based on a recommendation by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).