ILOILO – The Christmas spirit is here – most areas glow with different decorations – but so is the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The public plazas of Guimbal, New Lucena, Concepcion, Maasin, and Oton are just a few of the towns crowded every night because of their colorful attractions.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. reminded Ilonggos to follow the minimum public health standards like the “one entrance, one exit” policy and social distancing being imposed by their respective local government units (LGUs).
LGUs deployed to public plazas health safety officers in addition to barangay tanods and personnel of the Philippine National Police.
Christmas lights displays in plazas are allowed under Alert Level 2.
Defensor, however, said there would be no grand opening of Christmas lights at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol which in the past years attracted hundreds of spectators.
The governor only encouraged employees to set up simple Christmas decorations.
This aims to prevent crowds, and subsequently, a surge in COVID-19 cases later, Defensor said./PN
