Panagbenga moved to March due to nCoV

MANILA, Philippines — The Panagbenga Festival has been moved to March as a precautionary measure against the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

The opening parade of the Flower Festival is set on March 21 while the street dance and grand float parades will be held on March 28 and March 29, respectively, the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation (BFFF) announced yesterday.

Andrew Pinero, BFFFspokesman, said the new schedule was agreed during a meeting with Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and other concerned officials last Friday.

The opening parade, initially set on Feb. 1, was cancelled amid pubic health concerns due to nCoV.

The grand float and street parades were originally scheduled on Feb. 29 and March 1, respectively.

Pinero said the Session Road in Bloom, a weeklong event which features food and products of various provinces, will be held from March 30 to April 5.

The alumni homecoming of the Philippine Military Academy from Feb 14 to 16 had been cancelled to prevent the spread of nCoV scare. PMA was also closed to tourists.

Araw ng Dabaw

In Davao City, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio cancelled various activities lined up for the Araw ng Dabaw on March 16.

“We have seen an increasing number of people getting the infection worldwide. Our health care facilities in Davao City have limitations and we cannot possibly carry hundreds of sick individuals all at the same time,” Carpio said in a statement issued yesterday.

She called on Dabawenyos to heed the advice of health experts to protect themselves against nCoV.

Carpio also ordered a price freeze to ensure that the price of basic commodities and medical supplies remain stable.

In Pangasinan, board member Von Mark Mendoza sought the postponement of town fiestas and other mass gathering of people to prevent the spread of the flu virus.

The Cebu provincial board passed an ordinance penalizing people who spread false information on social media about nCoV.

Lockdown

Meanwhile, Pasil is the second town in Kalinga closed to tourists due to nCoV.

Pasil Mayor Alfredo Malannag Jr. issued an executive order placing the town on lockdown.

Kalinga tourism officer Lorraine Alunday Ngao-i said the Sulphur Hills in Barangay Balatoc, Laroy and Binasalan Falls, Kabunian Spring and Bummag Rice Terraces are tourist attractions in Pasil.

On Calayan island in Cagayan, returning residents of Barangay Dadao were asked to go on self-quarantine for 14 days regardless of where they came from.

Barangay captain Eric Nuñez ordered the creation of a health emergency response team to be headed by chief barangay tanod Robert Capalaran to implement  the measure. 

PUIs recover

Jennifer Joyce Pira, Department of Health (DOH)-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) medical officer, said three persons under investigation (PUIs) in the region have recovered and are set to be discharged from the Baguio General Hospital. 

Officials have yet to determine the status of the fourth PUI confined at the Benguet General Hospital.

The DOH-CAR listed two PUIs in  Benguet and one each in Baguio City and Mountain Province.

There are three PUIs in Abra, the provincial health office reported.

In Negros, 10 PUIs tested negative for nCoV.

Grace Tan, Bacolod City interagency task force for nCoV spokesperson, said four other PUIs on quarantine have recovered.

In Bulacan, Patricia Ann Alvaro of the provincial health office said six PUIs are confined in various hospitals.