More Luzon towns, cities placed on tourist lockdown

Baguio schools classes suspended March 13-22

FIVE MORE TOWNS in the Cordillera and Angeles City in Pampanga have been declared off-limits to tourists as those infected with COVID-19 in the country continues to rise. 

The Dept. of Health through Secretary Francisco Duque III, has confirmed the local transmission of the Corona Virus Disease (Covid -19), and President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation No. 922 “Declaring a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines”

In Baguio City, Mayor Benjamin Magalong issued executive order 60, series 2020 on March 12 suspending classes in private and public schools from March 13 to 22 in all levels as mitigating measure against Covid-19.,  

Latest to issue a lockdown on crowd-drawing activities was Trinidad, Benguet Mayor Romeo K. Salda who issued executive order no. 007- 2020 Wednesday banning “crowd-drawing and tourism activities until further notice.”

Covered by the ban are concerts, beauty pageants, fun runs, barangay and cooperative assemblies among others.  

In the tourist town of Sagada, Mayor James Pooten Jr. issued Executive Order 14-20 temporarily suspending all crowd drawing and tourist related activities in this tourist town due to the threat of Covid-19 until further notice.

For humanitarian considerations, gathering of individuals on weddings and wakes are exempted. However precautionary measures as contained in the Department of Health (DOH) advisories must be strictly adhered to, said EO noted.

The conduct of graduation, moving up and recognition of commencement exercises are observed with the same precautionary m measures.

Pooten highly encouraged that local guest speakers be availed of and highly advised that graduation and moving up ceremonies last for less than five hours.

As to tourist related activities, tourist guides and shuttle drivers are directed to refrain from assisting guest in tours.

Said EO states that inns and homestay operators and discouraged from accepting advance booking.

Walk- in guest are highly advised to visit the rural health unit for proper monitoring but must remain in their respective inns and homestays during their stay in Sagada.

In Bontoc, Mountain Province, Mayor Franklin Odsey earlier issued an executive order March 9 banning crowd-drawing activities.

“Crowd,” the order said, constitutes 100 individuals or more who include family reunions, festivals or fiestas and other merriments, school homecoming, athletic events, among others, the order said. 

But weddings and wakes of dead relatives are exempted, provided that the wedding celebrants or the family of the deceased undertake precautionary measures to ensure that their visitors have not come from areas where confirmed Covid -19 cases exist or have been reported. 

                Also, tourism activities within the municipality were temporarily suspended.

Odsey directed all tourist guides or operators not to receive local or foreign guests for any purposes. 

                “Tourists who are merely passing through the municipality shall be advised to proceed to their intended destination and not to linger within the municipality,” Odsey said in his executive order. 

                The mayor explained that the temporary suspension of crowd-drawing and tourism activities in the municipality is a safety measure being undertaken by the Bontoc government to prevent and /or control the spread of Covid-19. 

                The Bontoc local government been conducting precautionary actions since the Covid-19 was reported in the Philippines.

The municipal health office had been conducting massive information campaigns on Covid -19 in schools and through radio.

Also, the MHO and the provincial Dept. of Health Development Management Officer IV Clint Gil Ildefonso also oriented the barangay officials, barangay midwives and Barangay Health Workers on Covid- 19.

Mayor Clark Ngaya of Barlig, also in Mountain Province, suspended tourist activities as recommended by the municipal health board, epidemiology and surveillance unit and COVID-19 task force.

The Letang burial cave, Naculla Rice Terraces and Potec Falls are among the tourist attractions in Barlig.

The Begnas Festival was also cancelled last week by Bauko, Mountain Province officials due to Covid-19.

In Ifugao, Banaue cancelled the celebration of the Imbayah Festival next month as a precautionary measure.

Atok in Benguet and Sagada in Mountain Province were earlier placed on tourist lockdown due to COVID-19. The ban was lifted last month.

In Pangasinan, a no-touch or close physical contact policy among students and school personnel is being implemented at the Dagupan City National High School-Junior High to prevent the spread of the flu virus.

“Kissing the hands of teachers and any physical close contact with anyone is prohibited for now,” school principal Medarlo de Leon said in an advisory.

Classes in Lingayen town were suspended last week.

Meanwhile, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Pangasinan passed a resolution on the postponement of barangay fiestas.

Board member Jose Peralta Jr., provincial federation president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, sponsored the resolution during their session on Monday, saying COVID-19 reached Pangasinan when a Filipina, who attended a reunion in the province tested positive of the flu virus upon her return to Australia.

Tracing of persons with contact with the patient during her stay in the province from Feb. 22 to 23 is ongoing.

Board member Jerome Vic Espino, provincial federation president of the Sangguniang Kabataan, said SK gatherings should also be suspended indefinitely.

In Angeles City, Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. ordered the setting up of police checkpoints to restrict the entry of tourists from COVID-hit countries.

Lazatin said the checkpoints should be manned for 24 hours.

He said foreigners from China, Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Japan, Macau and South Korea would be barred from entering the city.

Hotels and similar establishments were asked not to accept tourists from these countries.

Angeles hosts a so-called Korea town, a strip of business establishments owned by South Koreans, many of whom study in the city.

Lazatin also met with mall managers to discuss precautionary measures against COVID-19.

He said he would meet with officials of the Dept. of Education as well as heads of public and private schools regarding plans for a citywide disinfection plan.

Classes in the city were suspended last week as preventive measure.

Meanwhile, organizers of the Clark Hot Air Balloon Festival announced Monday the postponement of the event amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) threat.

They said the event will be rescheduled to April 2020 “or once the ban on mass gatherings have been lifted” due to the requests of the ticket holders amid the COVID-19 scare.

“For the safety of everyone, LGU (local government unit) mandate, and the request of thousands of ticket holders to move the date in light of the coronavirus epidemic, we have decided to reschedule the event on APRIL 2020 or once the ban on mass gatherings have been lifted,” the organizers said in an advisory.

The festival organizers advised those who purchased the tickets to keep them because they are still valid for the rescheduled date.

“Same bands, same venue, just a different date for everyone’s safety,” they added.

The festival was scheduled on March 13 at Clark Global City in Pampanga. -- By Alpine L. Killa, Raymund Catindig, Ding Cervantes, Cesar Ramirez, Richo Noriego and Eva Visperas