page_title: COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
section_title: Religion
hierarchical_section_title: COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines / Social impact / Religion
caption_attribution_description: English: The Diocese of Dumaguete reiterates its support to the local health protocols enforced by the City of Dumaguete and Province of Negros Oriental to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Members of the clergy gathered today (August 4) to celebrate Chrism Mass with the faithful and local government officials to include Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo, Vice-Governor Mark Macias, Board Member Mariant Villegas, First District Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong and Capitol Consultant Dr. Henry Sojor.
context_page_description: The COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The first case in the Philippines was identified on January 30, 2020 and involved a 38-year-old Chinese woman who was confined at San Lazaro Hospital in Metro Manila. On February 1, a posthumous test result from a 44-year-old Chinese man turned out positive for the virus, making the Philippines the first country outside China to record a confirmed death from the disease.
  After over a month without recording any cases, the Philippines confirmed its first local transmission on March 7. Since then, the virus spread to the country with at least one case being recorded in the country's 17 regions. Socio-economic status has been associated with the prevalence of COVID-19 cases across the country. Lockdowns, commonly known as community quarantines, have been imposed throughout the country since March 15 as a measure to limit the spread of the virus. The largest of these measures was the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.
  As of August 30, there have been 217,396 confirmed cases of the disease in the country.
context_section_description: The Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines has issued preventive guidelines against the pandemic through the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). In January 2020, the CBCP issued a liturgical guideline which urges Mass attendees to "practice ordinarily" the receiving of communion by hand, and avoid holding hands while praying the Lord's Prayer during Mass. As a spiritual measure against the spread of the disease, the CBCP also composed an oratio imperata (obligatory prayer) which is to be recited during Mass. In February 2020, the CBCP issued a second liturgical guideline in anticipation of the Lenten season. The bishops suggested that during Ash Wednesday, ashes would be sprinkled on the faithfuls' head instead of the customary marking of the forehead with a cross to minimize body contact. The CBCP also urged people to refrain from kissing or touching the cross for veneration during Good Friday, particularly the celebration of the Passion of Jesus. They suggested genuflection or bowing as an alternative to the practice. Dioceses across the country have suspended the public celebration of Masses. On April 8, Holy Wednesday, the CBCP organized an interfaith prayer service against the spread of the coronavirus, which was televised nationwide.
  Other Christian denominations and organizations, such as the Iglesia ni Cristo and the Jehovah's Witnesses, have suspended live worship services and resorted to organizing worship services through online platforms. The Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, an organization composed of Evangelical and Protestant church member organizations in the country, also adopted similar measures.
  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints directed missionaries assigned in the Philippines who are not native to the country to move out for temporary reassignment to another country. They were ordered to self-quarantine in their new homes for 14 days.
  The Islamic community in the Philippines has also adopted measures against COVID-19. The Regional Darul Ifta' of Bangsamoro suspended all congregational prayers in the Bangsamoro region from March 19 to April 10.
caption: Chrism Mass of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dumaguete on August 4.
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