ILOILO – To avert a potential surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. decreed rules Ilonggos must abide in celebrating the holidays.
Yesterday, Defensor issued Executive Order No. 183-G, Series of 2020 implementing additional community quarantine measures on the movement of persons, minimum public health standards in establishments, industries and livelihood sectors, and public event and gatherings.
Here are the salient points:
* visiting or house-to-house Christmas caroling shall not be allowed during the Christmas season
* government/private offices, establishments and organizations are enjoined from holding Christmas and New Year parties
* family Christmas and New Year gatherings in the household are encouraged provided that such gatherings shall only include immediate members of the family and members of the household
* community fireworks display shall not be allowed
* fireworks/pyrotechnics legally allowed and regulated under Republic Act No. 718319 shall be permitted in family Christmas and New Year gatherings
* Christmas lights festivals shall not be allowed
* the deceased/urn (in case of cremation, and only in so far as applicable) shall be buried/interred not later that five days from arrival of the casket/urn at the venue of the wake. The wake may be extended, with the permission of the mayor
* restaurants, food chains and food stalls, dine-in tables shall be divided by a barrier made of impermeable and transparent material
Defensor said he doesn’t want to stop people from celebrating holidays but reiterated that, “Christmas now is pinasahi.”
“We just have to sustain what we are doing now. It’s better for our economy if we are in the new normal by January instead of loosening in December but destroying everything by January,” Defensor said.
The governor’s EO No. 183-G took effect immediately until further revoked or amended.
As of Thursday, Iloilo province had a total of 2,674 COVID-19 case, 246 of which were active, 2,332 recovered and 96 died./PN
