BAGUIO CITY – Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced on Friday the cancelation of the opening parade of the month-long Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival to help in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus (nCoV) that has killed more than 170 people in Wuhan, China with thousands contracting it.
“After a series of deliberations with health officials, we will cancel (the) street parade tomorrow, the CARAA (Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association) meet and all events that will draw crowds in the next three weeks,” said Magalong with health, education officials and Panagbenga organizing committee members in a press conference.
The opening parade is set every February 1 while the city’s hosting the CARAA will be from Feb. 16 to 21.
Magalong said Sunday opening of Session Road will also be canceled but said the street parade and float parade on February 29 and March 1, the Panagbenga’s main events will remain until the Department of Health-Cordillera (DOH-CAR) advises otherwise.
Magalong called the emergency meeting after the DOH confirmed on Thursday the first case of nCoV in the country.
He said he has created a task force to monitor and respond to any health issues the virus may bring about.
The task force will include the DOH-CAR, the Health Services Office, the Baguio Tourism Council, the police and military as well as emergency groups, among others.
Panagbenga organizing committee chief of staff Evangeline Payno said most of the events in the Feb. 1 opening like the Baguio Blooms, the landscaping, and exposition, however, will go on as planned.
She, however, asked all stakeholders especially the students to be joining the opening parade to stay put due to the cancelation of the parade and the drum and lyre competition.
“We will not be canceling it and they will be part of the grand street parade on Feb. 29 because they worked hard for it and had been for months practicing,” Payno said.
She also called on all volunteers, the police and emergency groups, that their services will not be needed anymore.
Andrew Pinero of the Panagbenga organizing committee said all events of the FlowerFest are just postponed and not canceled and that Baguio is open to tourists who want to enjoy the cool weather which is at its finest this time of the year.
Dr. Thea Cajulao, the Baguio General Hospital Medical Center (BGHMC) expert on infectious disease, said nCoV thrives under the cold condition of the city now, which has recorded a low 11 degrees centigrade the past days as the tail of the “hanging amihan”.
“Baguio and the Cordilleras is a hot spot for nCoV but including influenza virus, thus the number of pulmonary diseases during this time of the year,” she said.
Dr. Ricardo Runez Jr., BGHMC’s medical director, said the primary hospital of the city and Northern Luzon is equipped to deal with nCoV cases as they have competent personnel and facilities.
They are also awaiting the arrival of testing kits early this coming week.
DOH-CAR acting director, Dr. Amelita Pangilinan, meanwhile, advised the public to take extra precautions, avoid crowds, practice proper hygiene like hand washing, covering one’s mouth while sneezing and avoid kissing anybody.
Department of Education-Baguio division assistant superintendent Soraya Faculo said she will ask the CARAA board to convene to relay Mayor Magalong’s declaration.
She will also inform all school divisions of the latest update that the Feb. 16-21 sports meet cannot be staged due to the fear that the virus will spread.
Magalong, however, said his declaration will not include the Philippine Military Academy alumni homecoming on Feb. 14-16 as it is beyond his authority.
The PMA graduate of 1982, said it will be up to the PMA Alumni Association to declare if it will cancel the annual celebration of former cadets in Asia’s premier military academy.
Magalong, however, revoked an earlier issued executive order canceling classes for college students on Feb. 1, for the opening of the festivities. ** By Pigeon Lobien, PNA
