Baguio tones down Christmas activities

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY-- – The traditional merry-making in the city during the Yuletide season will not be as festive this year as the city government decided to tone down the activities for the month-long celebration of the Christmas in Baguio.
    Supervising city tourism operations officer engineer Aloysius C. Mapalo said the city will have limited activities for the annual Christmas celebration in Baguio in view of the community quarantine protocols to prevent the possible surge in Covid-19 cases.
He said events started with lighting of the city’s Christmas tree at the top of Session Road Tuesday preceded by a walkthrough of the Christmas Highland Story courtesy of the City Planning and Development Office.
    Session Road was closed to vehicular traffic on Dec. 1 for the walkthrough of the Christmas highland story to be in strategic areas along the city’s main thoroughfare capped by the lighting of the Christmas tree.
    Mapalo said the city is also considering pushing through with the annual New Year countdown to welcome the year 2021 despite the prevailing health pandemic to light up the toned-down revelry.
    He said the city government has to take the lead in complying with the prescribed health and safety protocols, especially during the Yuletide season where there will be numerous gatherings among families, clans and organizations to celebrate even with the mandated limitations.
    Previously, the city government, in partnership with the private sector, had lined up numerous crowd-drawing events for the month-long Christmas in Baguio as added attraction for residents and visitors spending their Yuletide break in the city.
Mapalo said many visitors who have already made reservations in accommodation establishments in the city this year-end break will boost the efforts of the city government to gradually, safely and responsibly revive the tourism industry that spurred many of the city’s economic activities.
    One of the major city events that had been cancelled was the traditional lantern parade of the St. Louis University (SLU) that usually coincides with the lighting of the Christmas tree.
    Mapalo expressed optimism that with the easing up of the community quarantine guidelines in the coming months, the city ‘tourism industry will recover and regain its vibrance.