BY GABRIEL DOMINIQUE
BACOLOD City – Gov. Eugenio Lacson cancelled this year’s “Undas” get-together of family and friends.
He ordered the temporary closure of all public cemeteries, private memorial parks and columbaries in the province as a strategic tactic to control the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Lacson announced this move through Executive Order (EO) No. 45 released on Thursday.
The rising number of COVID-19 cases, according to the governor, is a compelling reason to regulate the operation of these places on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
The temporary closure will start at 12:01 a.m. of Oct. 30 until 11:59 p.m. of Nov. 2.
He said health officials have anticipated the large crowds in cemeteries and memorial parks who will visit their dead kin during the Undas season, a gathering that could lead to a spike in COVID-19 cases in if it is not stopped.
Lacson directed all component cities and municipalities to comply with EO 45 through their respective disaster risk reduction and management offices and traffic management authorities with the assistance of the Philippine National Police and their force multipliers.
Negros Occidental remains under modified general community quarantine until Sept. 30 as provided in EO 44 signed by Lacson on Wednesday.
As of Sept. 15, Negros Occidental has a total of 2,168 confirmed COVID-19 cases based on the update posted by the provincial government on Facebook on Wednesday night./PN
