Resorts and cafés in Barangays Alangilan and Granada in Bacolod City will be closed this Easter Sunday, April 4.
Owners of these businesses have agreed to temporarily suspend their operations on Easter Sunday, after Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran appealed to them – in view of the sudden spike of COVID-19 cases in Bacolod.
An open forum was conducted in Alangilan Wednesday, March 31, attended by business owners, barangay officials, City Hall officials, members of the City Legal Office- Enforcement Team, and the Bacolod City Police Office to discuss matters pertaining to the temporary closure.
“These are just preventive measures. We are not on lockdown,” reiterated Leonardia, who also conducted a similar dialog with resort and business owners in Barangays Punta Taytay and Pahanocoy Tuesday, March 30.
Leonardia said thousands of people may flock to Barangays Alangilan and Granada this Easter Sunday, especially biking enthusiasts, thus, increasing the threat of COVID-19 transmission from such an expected large group of people.
“Let’s not wait for COVID-19 to hit us. To avoid its spread, always assume that everyone you encounter is a possible positive case,” Leonardia said.
Familiaran, who chairs the IATF, while warning the residents of the rising number of cases, also appealed to the business owners during the forum.
“The developing situation could be much worse. We do not want ECQ status again,” Familiaran said.
Councilor Renecito Novero, who chairs the Quarantine Centers Action Team, said that “prevention is the solution.”
“I hope we can be cooperative as we have always been,” he added.
Although there were reservations initially, business owners cooperated and agreed to the one-day closure, according to Alangilan Punong Barangay Degie Tanista Sr.
“We were expecting a lot of people on Sunday because it is the highlight of the [Holy Week observance], but I am in favor of this (one-day closure) because it is for our sake and for everyone’s sake; and also, to prevent the spread of the virus,” said Barangay Granada Kagawad Reynold Alunan, a café owner.
This Holy Week, Bacolod is observing stricter regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, upon the recommendation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
During the meeting, EOC deputy for medical Dr. Anna Ma. Laarni Pornan, who also heads the CDRRMO, presented a report on the COVID-19 status of Bacolod.
“Since January, we had fewer cases. There were even days when we had zero case. We were not complacent, but the numbers suddenly spiked. We are now averaging at 10 cases per day,” said Pornan.
To protect oneself from contracting the virus, Pornan said, one must avoid the “3 Cs” — crowded places; close-contact setting; and confined and enclosed places with poor ventilation.
At the end of the meeting, Leonardia thanked the business owners, residents, and barangay officials for their cooperation and participation despite the short notice on the meeting.*