TACLOBAN CITY – The city government here has urged village officials to help strictly impose movement restrictions as the city marks its annual fiesta celebration on Wednesday.
Mayor Alfred Romualdez said on Tuesday that village officials should be serious in imposing the no visitor rule especially on June 29 and 30 where people from outside the city are expected to visit the homes of their friends and relatives.
Villages in the city are asked to impose fines for those who will accept guests from outside their village to stop the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections. The amount varies in each village but most areas will impose a PHP2,000 fine to violators.
“There would be no lockdown in the city, but we have already canceled all traditional activities related to the fiesta celebrations to discourage large gatherings. We want to stop the surge of coronavirus disease 2019 cases in the city,” the mayor said in a statement.
The mayor ordered policemen and traffic enforcers manning checkpoints in the city’s border to check all people coming to the city to ensure that those who would be allowed to enter the city are those who need access to essential transactions and services.
Among the events banned is the holding of the Sangyaw Festival’s Parade of Lights commonly held a day before the annual fiesta.
The local government has allowed several religious activities inside churches subject to minimum health standards.
Churchgoers are encouraged to sanitize hands regularly, avoid contact, fulfill obligations, and entrust lives to Sto. Nino, the city’s patron saint.
As of June 28, the city has already recorded 3,801 cases, that include 3,160 recoveries, 520 active cases, and 82 deaths.
Source: Philippines News Agency