LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal government cancelled the numerous activities lined up for the celebration of the town’s 70th founding anniversary to allow the municipality to recover from the effects of the implementation of the Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to fight the spread of the dreaded Corona virus Disease (COVID) 2019 in the municipality.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda said the decision to cancel all the activities lined up for the celebration of the town’s founding anniversary was reached upon the recommendations of health experts as the conduct of mass gatherings in areas that are under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) are still not allowed.
Earlier, the municipal government decided to forego the preparations for the celebration of the town’s founding anniversary after Benguet was placed under ECQ as movements of people were restricted and the conduct of crowd drawing events were also cancelled.
“We deem it necessary to continue foregoing with whatever mass gatherings and crowd drawing activities that are to be conducted during the second quarter because of our ongoing fight against the spread of the deadly virus. We are just grateful that the earlier confirmed COVID cases recovered because of our timely intervention, thus, there are no more active cases in the municipality,” Mayor Salda stressed.
The municipal chief executive appealed to the residents to understand the rationale behind the decision to cancel earlier scheduled mass gatherings and crowd drawing events due the priority task of the government to control the spread of the contagious virus in different parts of the country and sparing the greater majority of the populace from being infected with the illness.
According to him, it was difficult for them to cancel the founding anniversary activities because it will be the town’s milestone 70th year but the organizers had to come out with the difficult decision so as not to put to the risk those who will be attending the events and instead compel them to stay home pursuant to established health protocols and spare them from contracting the contagious virus.
La Trinidad was founded on June 16, 1950 and is serving as the center of trade and commerce in Benguet being its capital town because of its proximity to Baguio City, one of the country’s premier tourist destinations.
The town is known for its vast strawberry and cutflower plantations aside from being host to scenic trekking destinations which are being frequented by foreign and domestic visitors in the past when there had been a heavy influx of visitors wanting to enjoy the sceneries in the countryside.
Salda claimed that the municipal government is striving to institute the appropriate measures during this period of community quarantine and beyond because of the need to prioritize the health and safety of the people while slowly trying to bring back the vibrance of the municipal economy, provide jobs for the residents and sustain the provision of sources of livelihood for displaced individuals from the town’s 16 barangays while balancing between the economy and public health.
By Hent
Photo by Armando M. Bolislis
