GMA News
Not allowing religious gatherings but having spas open is 'double standard' —CBCP spokesperson
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has voiced concerns over what it perceives as a double standard in the government's COVID-19 restrictions, particularly the prohibition of religious gatherings while allowing personal services like spas and gyms to operate.
CBCP spokesperson Fr. Jerome Secillano highlighted the apparent inconsistency, questioning why churches are shut down to the public when establishments offering personal care services are permitted to open.
This sentiment was echoed by CBCP vice president and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, who criticized the government's decision to ban religious assemblies anew amidst a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Bishop David specifically pointed out the disparity between closing churches during the Lenten season and allowing fitness centers at 70% capacity and personal care establishments, including spas, at 50% capacity.
🤖
This story was generated by AI to help you understand the key points. For more detailed coverage, please see the news articles from trusted media outlets below.
News Sources
See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, also the vice president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), criticized the government's decision to ban religious gatherings while allowing gyms and spas to operate at limited capacities in NCR Plus.
Read more →
The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) has described the Inter-Agency Task Force's (IATF) ban on religious gatherings in the "NCR Plus" bubble as "grossly unfair" and implemented without prior consultation.
Read more →
The Archdiocese of Manila clarified that it is not defying the government's ban on religious gatherings in the NCR Plus bubble.
Read more →
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved once-a-day religious gatherings at 10 percent venue capacity from April 1 to April 4.
Read more →
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is urging religious groups to back the temporary prohibition of religious gatherings in Metro Manila and nearby provinces due to a significant rise in COVID-19 cases.
Read more →