Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said today, November 16, that the provincial government-owned Mambukal Resort in Murcia town will remain closed to the public for as long as it is needed as a healing facility for COVID-19 patients.
However, the provincial government is continuing to introduce improvements to the resort, he said.
The provincial government has allocated P19 million for the construction of more cottages at the resort in 2021, on top of the ongoing work on the P5 million Department of Tourism-funded food court, he said.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Mambukal could open to the public next year depending on the COVID-19 situation.
For now, they do not want to encourage people to go to resorts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, he said.
“We want Mambukal to open to the public as soon as possible, but we don’t want to take unnecessary risks and start an epidemic there,” Diaz added.
Meanwhile, among the other improvements underway at the resort is the clearing of overgrown trees to prevent them from falling during typhoons and the repair of cottages, he said.
The Mambukal Resort is currently being used as a healing area for COVID-hit provincial government employees and members of their families, Diaz said.
It currently has six patients, he added.
Diaz said the provincial government wants to give the best possible accommodations to its employees and members of their families hit by the virus.
He also pointed out that the Capitol employees also receive hazard pay.*