Christmas parties banned in Metro Manila, says Año

October 20, 2020

Metro Manila mayors have agreed to ban Christmas parties as one of the measures to contain the spread of coronavirus disease, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said on Monday.

In a taped televised meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacanang, Año reported the various measures that the local chief executives have agreed upon during their meeting on Sunday night.

While the 17 mayors agreed to increase to 30 percent the seating capacity inside the churches since Christmas is approaching, however, he said, "Christmas parties are prohibited. Christmas parties will really be banned while our situation is like this."

He also said that the Metro Manila mayors also support the government's move to gradually open the economy even under general community quarantine.

The local chief executives have recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to maintain the National Capital Region under GCQ until the end of the year.

Duterte is expected to make the final decision on the quarantine classifications to be imposed in various parts of the country on or before October 31 based on the IATF recommendation. Celerina Monte/DMS