BONTOC, Mtn. Prov.– Prevention is better than cure!
This is the gist from the meeting of the technical working group for the 16th Lang-ay Festival and 53rd Foundation Day held last February 26, 2020.
The decision to cancel the Lang-ay but not the Foundation Day celebration was an offshoot of a resolution of the Provincial Health Board in a meeting held on February 20, 2020 entitled: “A Resolution Requesting the Lang-ay Festival Technical Working Group for the Cancellation of the 16th Lang-ay Festival”.
Citing the emergence of the dreaded COVID–19 as the main reason, the resolution cited that the province remains free of the COVID-19 but there is an urgent need to intensify measures to prevent the entry and spread of the disease in the province.
The fear was due to the fact that the local government units are not prepared for the containment of the COVID–19 especially on the provision of manpower and facilities in the eventuality of the occurrence of the disease.
Prevention is better than cure as the province is not prepared for any eventuality.
Although the latest advisory from the Department of Health (DOH0, Department of the Interior and Local Governments (DILG), and the Department of Tourism (DOT) states that is safe to organize and attend public meetings and festivals as long as the precautionary measures identified by the DOH are observed.
Johnny Co, the Provincial Administrator and Chair of the Steering Committee, said that with the cancellation of the Lang-ay, the focus now is concentrated on the commemoration of the Foundation Day which will take place on April 7, 2020.
“Let us have a simple but meaningful celebration”, Co emphasized.
“We hope that COVID–19 will disappear soonest so that our lives will be normalized”, he said
It is therefore proper to give advisories as a lot queries have been forwarded on the status of the following concerns.
The Search for Ms. Mountain Province 2020 is also cancelled despite the plea from Dr. Mark Lopez for the continuation of the activity.
The Agro-Trade Fair will also be not conducted this year. It would have been an opportunity for business people to showcase and market their wares had it not been cancelled.
Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. said, in a phone interview, that it is final, the Lang-ay is cancelled and that his office will be issuing an executive order on this.
He also signed the resolution of the Provincial Health Board as chair.**Roger Sacyaten
