MANILA EPISCOPAL AREA

ADVISORY NO. 2 ON COVID-19

To All Congregations of The United Methodist Church in the Manila Episcopal Area:

Greetings of peace and wellness!

All of us have been informed of the Community Quarantine for NCR as ordered by President
Duterte through Resolution No. 11 of the Inter Agency Task Force on Covid 19 Crisis. The Resolution as
affirmed by the President suspends temporarily any mass gatherings during the community quarantine
period from March 15 up to April 14, 2020.

Hence, many questions have been raised on matters pertaining to the conduct of our worship
services, including but not limited to organizational fellowships, meetings and conferences. I have
consulted some of our health experts on this matter, together with the MEA Cabinet Executive
Committee, and thus, the issuance of this second advisory.

1. We have issued earlier the postponement of the following Annual Conference Sessions due
to travel restrictions and to avoid formidable effect of this crisis, effective until April 14, 2020:

• Middle Philippines Annual Conference (March 16-19, 2020)

• South Nueva Ecija Philippines Annual Conference (March 22-24, 2020)
• Palawan Philippines Annual Conference (March 27-28, 2020)
• South West Philippines Annual Conference (April 02-04, 2020)

2. All local churches within Metro Manila or the National Capital Region, particularly those areas
or localities declared by the national and local government under community quarantine may
suspend temporarily the conduct of worship services during the above stated quarantine
period.

Instead, local congregations thru the Administrative Pastor and Church Council are encourage
to have their on-line worship services if capable, or if not, to have alternative worship services
thru Pagsambahay or other expressions of innovative worship within their homes or in small
groups, while observing precautionary measures as suggested by the health experts. Always
observe disinfections and social distancing.
3. For all local churches outside Metro Manila, depending on the situation of your localities, you
may suspend worship services if there are risk factors or if your locality is within the scope of
the local government’s identified quarantine area. It is always better to make an effort to get
helpful information from your respective local government officials about the status of your
community related to Covid 19 and to heed their advice for propriety.

Local congregations outside NCR, may opt to shorten their worship services or may
implement other forms of expressions of worship such as Pagsambahay, on-line worship
and/or other innovative expressions of worship without compromising the health protocols.

Let’s continue to be vigilant about this health crisis. Continue to unite in prayer so that
this state of emergency will soon be over recognizing the power of God in every facets of this
crisis.

“The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul.
The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth,
and even for evermore.” (Psalm 121:7-8)

BISHOP CIRIACO Q. FRANCISCO

Resident Bishop, Manila Episcopal Area

3rd Floor UMC Building, 900 United Nations Avenue, Ermita, Manila, Philippines ● +63.2.423.137