Video courtesy of Department of Tourism

MANILA - The Department of Tourism (DOT) has condemned a "reckless" social gathering at a resort in the coastal town of San Juan, Batangas.

In a statement Wednesday, the agency said a large group of people were caught on video partying without face masks and face shields while also disregarding physical distancing.

The mass gathering at a resort in Barangay Laiya on Dec. 7 violated guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) for areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ), it added.

The DOT praised the local government unit (LGU) for revoking the resort's business permit and filing charges against its management. The resort was earlier suspended in September for also breaching government's protocols.

In response to the incident, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat warned anew accommodation and tourism establishments that have reopened and reminded them to follow health protocols all the time. Violators may face criminal charges and will also be sanctioned by the DOT.

• DOT denounces Halloween party in Boracay over alleged COVID-19 violations

In November, the agency denounced a Halloween party in Boracay over alleged violations of health protocols.

The event organizers were slapped with a P5,000 fine while 2 foreigners who donned Philippine National Police uniforms as costumes were also penalized.

To date, the Philippines has tallied 442,785 coronavirus infections since the pandemic started. The total tally includes 8,670 fatalities and 408,790 recoveries. Some 25,325 patients are still sick with the virus.

Business revival, including tourism establishments across the country, meanwhile, continue while quarantine regulations remain in force.

• PH logs 1,400 add’l COVID-19 cases; total hits 442,785

- with reports from Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News