Dipolog bishop urges calm amid COVID-19 threat

Dipolog Bishop Severo Caermare has urged calm and caution amid the threat of COVID-19, which has not yet infected anyone in Zamboanga del Norte but prompted local governments to implement restrictions.

The Rizal National Shrine in Dapitan City, a major tourist attraction, has been indefinitely closed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines as a precautionary measure.

Tourism in nearby Dapitan City is suffering with a decline in foreign visitors and reduced workdays for resort employees.

Bishop Caermare's pastoral letter advises removing holy water from church entrances and discourages physical contact during masses to prevent virus spread.