The Iloilo provincial government and the Department of Education (DepEd)-Iloilo welcome the cancellation of events to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. met with the Iloilo local school board on Tuesday to discuss the upcoming events of the education sector like graduation rites and conferences.
“I have asked the counsel of the education sector because we are contemplating stepping up the level of our preparation and our quarantine measures here for Covid-19 in the province of Iloilo,” Defensor said in a media interview.
He said Dr. Roel Bermejo, DepEd-Iloilo schools division superintendent, told him that the DepEd head office has already directed the cancellation of large crowd gatherings.
With this, the governor said there is a chance that the graduation rites of students from kindergarten to high school in Iloilo will be canceled.
The governor is also pushing the cancellation of local festivities either in the level of municipalities or villages.
The local government of Passi City, which is set to hold its annual Pintados de Passi Festival in the latter part of March, will continue until further notice.
Passi Mayor Stephen Palmares told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that he is yet to convene with the city councilors to tackle the matter.
“I will meet with the city councilors regarding that but as of now, all activities regarding Pintados will push through as scheduled,” Palmares said.
Meanwhile, Defensor emphasized that the cancellation of events will not solve the problem on Covid-19 but will help lessen the risks. “We are reducing the opportunities of the people to gather and the chance of personal contact,” Defensor said.
He also assured the issuance of health declaration cards in airports and seaports in the province is continuing to prevent the entry of the infection.
However, he said the province will not still be imposing a lock-down based on its current level. “When circumstances are present, that will justify that but not now,” he said. (PNA)
