Marry now, treat family and friends next year.

This is the piece of advice, albeit cheerfully, on Saturday by Mayor Myca Elizabeth Vergara to couples as the nation continues to battle the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

“Dun sa mga ikinakasal po, ikasal na lang kayo ng sampu kayo, tapos next year, dun na lang kayo mag-reception (Those getting married, have only 10 people in your group and hold your reception next year),” Vergara said as she took time to personally explain on television and through social media the provision of her Executive Order No. 14, which provides, among others, that only a maximum of 10 people shall be allowed to gather during weddings, baptisms and similar activities.

She noted that some wedding sponsors are actually scared of attending weddings but are forced by some considerations.

“Sa totoo lang, marami rin kayong ninong at ninang na ayaw ring pumunta sa kasal nyo. As in sila ay takot na takot, nahihiya lang sa mga magulang ninyo (The truth is that sponsors do not want to attend your wedding. They are very afraid but don’t want to offend your parents),” the mayor said.

Vergara said attendees in wedding parties that she officiates at the city hall were being made to undergo antigen testing. She narrated that last Friday (April 16), a wedding sponsor, who turned out to be the one who cooked food for the reception, came out positive in the antigen test.

Vergara warned operators of events places against supposedly circumventing the law by accepting people more than the allowed number.

She expressed alarm that the city already has 36 Covid-19 deaths as of April 17, whereas there were only 10 last year. “Nakakabahala po ‘yun (That is worrisome),” she said.

With only less than 3,000 residents receiving the first dose of Covid-19 vaccines so far, minimum public health standards remain to be the people’s first line of defense against the virus, she said.

As of Saturday, this city has a total of 1,224 coronavirus cases, out of which 237 are active, 951 have recovered, and 36 died, records from the city health office showed.

The mayor also noted that the city has recorded Covid-19 cases among unemployed individuals which showed that the virus was being brought home by family members, including children who play outdoors.

Eugene Mintu, head of the city disaster risk reduction and management office, said a statistical study showed that of 861 combined reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and antigen test positives from March 30 to April 15, 2021, 68 percent was “transmitted through affinity,” which include household workers and 32 percent was by “random strangers.”

“Hindi ito panahon para mag-reunion kayo. Mas mabuti na hong magtawagan kayo kesa hindi na kayo magkita forever. Ngayon, ang dami nating cases na mga matatanda (This is not the time to have a reunion. It is better to just call rather than not see each other forever. Many among the elderly are getting sick from the virus),” Vergara said. (PNA)