LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal government recently lifted the previous order prohibiting the conduct of public gatherings in the municipality following the slight improvement on the prevailing Corona Virus Disease (COVID) 2019 scare and the zero COVID cases in the Cordillera.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda issued Memorandum No. 051, series of 2020, informing all department heads and barangay officials on the decision to lift the previous order imposing a ban on the conduct of public hearings in the municipality to help allow the situation to normalize and for organizers to be able to reschedule their postponed events.
However, he explained the decision of the Strawberry Festival executive committee to cancel the conduct of this year’s crowd drawing event stands considering the inadequate time to prepare for the festivities and the projected insufficient supply of strawberry once the event will be scheduled by the middle part of this year.
Among the public gatherings that will be allowed by the local government to push through include concerts and pageants, barangay general assemblies, cooperative assemblies, major programs and activities and all other events of similar nature.
Salda advised all organizers and participants of the said public gatherings to promptly inform the local government of the details of the events or activities prior to the staging of the same, nature, venue, number of days or hours or participants plus their places of origin and all other relevant details, and for them to exercise precautionary measures during the event or activity proper.
Based on the said memorandum, those assigned at the reception, front desk, food section, and registration area must wear face masks.
Further, anyone with flu, colds or fever must be disallowed from entering the premises of the gathering, especially those being held indoors while ethyl alcohol and hand sanitizers must be provided in the reception area and entrance of the event.
He reminded organizers and participants to avoid close contacts such as ‘beso-beso,’ handshakes, and avoid the consumption of raw or under cooked animal products.
Salda’s order is in line with the recent memorandum issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Health (DOH) allowing the conduct of public gatherings issued on February 10, 2020 but with utmost observance of precautionary measures for the safety of both the organizers and participants.
Earlier, the DOH and the DILG issued advisories prohibiting the conduct of public gatherings which served as the basis in the issuance of previous orders cancelling the conduct of all crowd drawing events and activities in the municipality.
Salda expressed optimism on the utmost cooperation of event organizers and participants of events to the observance of the established precautionary measures to prevent the possible spread of cold day illnesses that might complicate things in the future.
By Hent
File photo: Students perform a unity dance during the La Trinidad 36th Strawberry Festival street dancing parade on March, 2017. Photo by PIA-CAR.
