3 festivals in Ilocos Sur cancelled due to Covid-19

By Mar T Supnad

CANDON CITY -- Alarmed by the Covid-19 disease, the municipalities of Galimuyod and Salcedo, including, announced last week celebration of their respective festivals, which are simultaneously observed in March, are cancelled this year.

Galimuyod Mayor Jessie Balingsat said he convened the Bignas Festival executive committee and after deliberation, they voted to cancel the celebration of the annual activity, which was supposed to run from March 9-11.

“We are saddened to announce this but the local government is only prioritizing the security and health of our people. However, we are hoping that once the threat of this scary disease has hopefully vanished, we will conduct our planned activities,” Balingsat added.

 Salcedo Mayor Leopoldo Gironella Jr. also announced the Cacao Festival will not be celebrated this year.

“We are supposed to celebrate our town fiesta this March 19-21 but all of the barangay chairpersons and non-government organization heads have agreed to cancel it as part of our LGU’s precautionary measures against the threat of Covid-19 and we believe that prevention is always better in situations like this as advised by the Dept. of Health,” Gironella said.

Candon City Mayor Ericson Singson also said for the first time, all  major activities for the celebration of Tobacco Festival are cancelled.

However, Singson clarified that they will still conduct the concelebrated mass at San Juan de Parish Church and the wreath laying at the monument of Don Isabelo Abaya, Candon City’s local hero, on March 25 in observance of the cityhood’s anniversary.

                “I hope that our people will understand the decision of our Fiesta Committee because this is everybody’s concern. We are hoping that we will be able to conduct all the cancelled activities on our city fiesta next year and we advise the public to be vigilant of the issues and concerns happening in the country. We will prepare a grandeur Tobacco Festival next year,” Singson said.

Balingsat, Gironella, and Singson said that such decision supports the advisory from Dept. of Health urging the public to avoid attending, participating and organizing events that draw huge number of people while recommending cancellation of big events or gatherings to further minimize the risk of contracting Covid-19.