ILOILO City – Gov. Samuel Gumarin of Guimaras has suspended indefinitely all public/mass gatherings in the island province.
The suspension was necessary “to protect the inhabitants and residents” from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), he stressed in Executive Order (EO) No. 30 issued on March 13.
Among the public mass gatherings cited in the EO were rallies, benefit dances, private and public school activities in all levels, and public social events such as sitio and barangay fiestas, municipal foundation day celebrations.
The EO, however, also stated that “fiestas and foundation day may be celebrated with a Holy Mass and/or through private gatherings provided social distancing is strictly observed.”
“This order shall take effect immediately until further revoked or amended,” according to Gumarin.
He cited President Rodrigo Duterte’s issuance of Proclamation No. 922 on March 8 declaring a state of public health emergency throughout the Philippines due to the rise in COVID-19 cases.
Section 2 of the Proclamation states that all government agencies and local government units (LGUs) “are hereby enjoined to render full assistance and cooperation and mobilize the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent and appropriate response and measures in a timely manner to curtail and eliminate the COVID -19 threat.”
Gumarin also pointed to Section 16 of the Local Government Code which states that “Every LGU shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied therefrom, as well as powers necessary, appropriate or incidental for its efficient and effective governance and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare.”
The Department of Health late Saturday night, March 15, announced that the nationwide total of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country was now 111./PN
