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President Rodrigo Duterte appealed to the Catholic Church to cancel physical gatherings including the procession in this year's celebration of the feast of the Black Nazarene.

"Every year the Roman Catholic conduct procession of the Black Nazarene and sometimes those who attend reach a million mark," Duterte said during his Talk to the People on Tuesday night.

"This procession is a very important event for the Roman Catholic Church. Now I have to appeal to them for their understanding and to really look at in the broader context of our liability also to the people. If we do not correct or fail to come out with measures to protect public interest and public health," he said

"If the Roman Catholic church is listening, I am now appealing to you to forgo or cancel all physical gatherings including the procession and the celebration of mass at church because there are millions of devotees there and you cannot just be complacent about the transmission of the disease. I hope the Roman Catholic (Church) will understand," he added.

The Feast of the Black Nazarene, set on January 9, will continue but the procession is cancelled, said Father Douglas Badong, parochial vicar of Quiapo Church last month.

As the COVID-19 cases in the country, especially in Metro Manila, continue to increase, Duterte said the church activity can become a super spreader event since millions of Black Nazarene devotees join the celebration.

"The gatherings are not allowed. Never mind about the power of government; it is just an appeal to the hierarchy of the church to look at on a broader understanding that it could really be a super spreader," he said.

"We will send somebody to bring the letter in advance. I apologize for it but I have to do it because I have to do it. I apologize in advance and I beg your understanding of what we have discussed. Every time we talk to the people, we have stressed that our job is really to come out with critical decisions to protect public health and public safety," he added. Robina Asido/DMS