MANILA - Filipino Catholics are finding ways to attend Mass even without being physically present at the sanctuary in a bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a priest said Friday.

Father Douglas Badong, parochial vicar of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, said viewership of the Quiapo Church Mass Facebook Live "tripled" on Friday morning while fewer Catholics showed up for the actual Mass, traditionally the day when there is huge attendance.

"Pwede namin i-discourage 'yung mga tao na pumunta since meron namang Facebook Live. May tao o wala, magmimisa kami," Badong told radio DZMM.

(We can discourage the public to attend Mass physically since there's Facebook Live. Whether there's an audience or not, we will conduct Mass service.)

"Pinagiingat din natin, hindi naman natin pwede i-compromise ang kanilang kalusugan."

(We are urging the public to be careful, we can't compromise their health.)

Badong added that authorities have also disinfected the Quiapo Church, home to a 400-year-old ebony statue of Jesus Christ which draws huge crowds every Friday to attend Mass.

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BAN ON MASS GATHERINGS

The government has prohibited mass gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but has yet to discuss further details, according to Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

"Bawal na po 'yun. Mahirap nang sabihin pero kahit 'yung worship sa simbahan 'yun po ay pinagbabawal na po. Kung iisipin mo dun sa San Juan 'di po ba place of worship yun eh," Nograles told radio DZMM, referring to 2 COVID-19 cases who frequented a prayer hall in San Juan City.

(It's not allowed. It's hard to say but even worshipping in churches is prohibited. If you think about it, the cases in San Juan were from a place of worship.)

"Ito kailangan magi-strict enforcement po tayo dito. Ito ang isa sa paguusapan namin nang masinsinan ngayong araw na ito."

(We need strict enforcement. This will be part of our discussions today.)

Two patients, a married couple, expired on Wednesday, bringing the total death toll in the country to five.

• DOH confirms deaths of 3 more COVID-19 patients

As of Thursday evening, there are 52 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. Five have died and 2 have recovered.

Earlier this week, the Philippines declared a state of public health emergency and suspended classes at all levels in Metro Manila in a bid to contain the virus.

The health department has raised the highest Code Red Sub-level 2 because of “sustained community transmission.”

The outbreak, which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has killed some 4,000 people and infected 110,000 others worldwide, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a global pandemic.