Panagbenga Festival cancelled

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — This year’s Panagbenga Festival will not push through.

The interagency task force on the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) in this city decided yesterday during a meeting presided over by Mayor Benjamin Magalong to cancel the flower festival “to ensure the safety of everyone.”

The Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc., Department of Health (DOH)-Cordillera Administrative Region, Department of Education-CAR and Baguio City police are the other members of the task force.

Residents called on the city government and organizers of the festival to cancel the event as the number of COVID-19 cases rises.

The opening parade of the festival, which was originally set on Feb. 1, had been earlier moved to March 21, also due to COVID-19. The grand float and street parades set on Feb. 29 and March 1 were postponed to March 28 and March 29, respectively.

Magalong said the ukay-ukay night market, which was supposed to start last night, was also closed.

Also cancelled is the Session Road in Bloom, a weeklong event which features food and products of various provinces, which is held after the Panagbenga Festival.

In Negros Occidental, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he would consult with mayors next week on whether to push through with the Panaad sa Negros Festival set from April 20 to 26.

Dubbed as the “festival of all festivals” in the province, Panaad sa Negros showcases the products, history, culture and arts in the towns and cities in the province.

Several local chief executives had either cancelled or postponed town fiestas and other crowd-drawing events as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.

Authorities said there is still no confirmed case in the Cordilleras.

Contact tracing

In Pangasinan, Gov. Amado Espino III said they are tracing those who had contact with a Filipina who tested positive for COVID-19 upon her return to Australia on March 3.

Espino said he tapped police and barangay officials in Lingayen to locate around 250 people who attended a class reunion with the woman in Dagupan City on Feb. 22.

“We will extend the necessary and full cooperation to the national government because this is a public health issue,” Espino said.

Director Valeriano Jesus Lopez of the DOH office in Ilocos allayed fears on the spread of the virus, noting that the incubation period had lapsed.

Lopez said Ilocos remains free of the acute respiratory disease.

Classes suspended

Classes in all levels in both public and private schools in Lingayen and Bugallon were suspended yesterday due to COVID-19.

In an executive order, Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil directed school officials and administrators to disinfect classrooms.

In Bugallon, a cleanup drive in schools and other public places, such as transport terminals, markets, parks and government offices, was conducted yesterday. – With Gilbert Bayoran, Eva Visperas, Cesar Ramirez