PASIG CITY, (PIA) -- With the start of the Holy Week, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) asks faithful to maintain health protocols.

CBCP president Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, said that Covid-19 remains a serious threat.

“Even though the pandemic has subsided, let us not let our guard down. Let us continue following the health protocols so that we can finally defeat this pandemic. We must continue wearing face masks and observe physical distance as a way to care for one another,” Bishop David told Radio Veritas Friday.

The Caloocan bishop’s statement comes after the health department appealed to churches to reconsider the holding of some Holy Week traditions such as ‘pahalik,’ adding that such religious practices may result in the transmission of the virus and a subsequent surge in cases.

The CBCP head also reiterated the Church’s stand against self-flagellation.

“Until now, we discourage people from doing those practices as there are other ways to sacrifice or do penitence. The most important way of penitence is to do charity, especially for the poor,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr. Guido David of OCTA Research and National Task Force Against COVID-19 medical adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa encouraged the public to continue to follow health protocols.

During the public briefing on Saturday, the two experts also said that while the country now remains at very low risk, they encouraged the people to get vaccinated or boosted for protection. (CBCP/PIA-NCR)