BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced that the city will not declare a lockdown despite the cancellation of the Panagbenga Festival and the suspension of other crowd-drawing activities due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) scare.
All upcoming Panagbenga events like the opening parade, grand street parade, grade float parade, Session Road in bloom, and the closing ceremonies are all canceled.
“I don’t think there will be a lockdown unless we have a particular virus case in the city. In the absence of that, there will be no lockdown,” Magalong told a late afternoon press conference on Monday.
Magalong met also with leaders of the Moslem community that stage the nightly market on Harrison Road and decided that they will suspend selling for 14 days effective Tuesday, March 10.
“I was happy that the Moslem leaders heeded the call but only asked that it be started tomorrow since many of their members have already purchased their items for sale and need to dispose of these,” he said.
The Sunday pedestrianization of the portion of Session Road that goes up which started anew on March 8, has been temporarily suspended, he said.
Last Sunday, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Proclamation 922 declaring Covid-19 a public health emergency throughout the country, prompting local government units to take action by canceling all crowd-drawing events.
Meanwhile, Baguio Flower Festival organizing committee chief of staff Evangeline Payno called on the public not to make unnecessary and unverified social media posts.
“We are calling on the public though not to create hysteria,” Payno said.
She said they will be meeting with stakeholders including those at the Baguio Blossoms who have staged landscape works at various parts of the city.
She also said they will also be returning sponsorship back to their supporters, although most have withheld payments with the Panagbenga.
She said the amount will not be in millions.
“The cancelation was a difficult decision to make but we realized that is the best response to the Covid 19 scare,” Payno said.
“We have been in this situation and we learned a lot from it,” said DOH-CAR officer-in-charge Dr. Amelita Pangilinan, citing the 2005 meningococcemia scare that plagued the region.
Pangilinan and city health officer, Dr. Rowena Galpo, reiterated the basic healthy practices like washing, covering once mouth when sneezing, avoiding large crowds, among others, could help prevent the spread of the virus.
Galpo said they are continuing their preventive measures through visitation in barangays and different communities.
“We already had previous meetings and orientations with different groups like the Korean community, the Chinese community, even the schools, different universities. We also participated in barangay assemblies,” she said.
She advised those who are sick to stay at home.
“The only advice right now is kung may sakit po kayo, just stay home, avoid crowded places, and boost your immunity (The only advice right now is if you are sick, just stay home, avoid crowded places and boost your immunity),” she said.
The officials assured that Cordillera remains free of Covid-19 cases.
Recovery plan
Magalong said Baguio is set to have its recovery plan with the Department of Tourism (DOT) leading the planning with the Tourism Board and stakeholders to come out with a blueprint that will help Baguio recover from losses experienced as a result of the Covid 19 scare.
Baguio Country Club has reported a PHP5 million loss in February alone, while The Manor at Camp John Hay pegged losses at PHP2 million.
Payno, a BCC employee, said about 100 employees will be laid off this month as a result of the club’s losses last month and this March, which earlier, as they hoped, would help them recover their losses the previous month.
DOT-CAR officer-in-charge Jovita Ganongan said they are focusing on further improving the capability of the workers in the industry by providing training.** Pigeon Lobien with reports from Joshua Elisha Soriano and Zedrick John Macario, OJT/PNA
