By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia ordered the temporary closure of beach resorts on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2021, to contain the surge of COVID-19 cases here.
Leonardia’s order came after meeting with barangay officials and resort owners Tuesday afternoon where operators voluntarily agreed to temporarily close their resorts Sunday.
“This is not a lockdown. This is just a preventive measure. I am thankful because this is voluntary on the part of business owners; this was not enforced on them,” Leonardia said.
The open forum gathered business owners operating in Barangays Punta Taytay and Pahanocoy, barangay officials, City Hall officials, members of the City Legal Office-Enforcement Team, and Bacolod City Police Office to discuss matters pertaining to the temporary business closure.
Bacolod is observing stricter regulations this Holy Week to prevent the spread of COVID-19, upon the recommendation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
Pahanocoy and Punta Taytay are among the areas in Bacolod frequented by thousands of people during Holy Week, especially on Easter Sunday, which makes this a very high risk situation.
Wary of protocol breaches particularly non-observance of social distancing, Leonardia initiated the dialog with business owners in the area.
“We are appealing to you. We don’t like to do this. As much as I like progress, we have to address COVID-19 first,” said Leonardia.
IATF chair Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, also present in the forum, said: “We are here to inform you of the rise of COVID-19 cases in the city. We thought there is no more virus but then, it suddenly spiked.”
City Administrator Em Ang, executive director of the EOC, presented an EOC report showing that Bacolod has recorded 188 active cases in the last 14 days, with a 17% positivity rate from March 23 to 29, 2021.
Helena Flores Olave, representative of Solena’s Beach, said that she is amenable with the one-day closure because she believes that health must be prioritized over money.
Lina Alcala Peña, owner of Alcala Beach, has the same sentiment.
“Although we already have lots of reservation, [but] after listening to the report presented by City Administrator Em Ang on the status of the city with regards to the pandemic, we are now convinced [to suspend operations] because we also believe that health is more important,” said Peña.
Meanwhile, Punta Taytay Punong Barangay Leah Palma appealed to the public to strictly observe the imposed minimum health protocols. “I am appealing to the enforcement team to help us guard the area during the Holy Week and for the beachgoers to also observe health protocols,” she said. “We should limit the people coming in our establishments especially if full capacity is already reached.”
Pahanocoy Punong Barangay Yolanda Noble, meanwhile, requested cooperation from the residents. “This is a protection for all of us. This is a preventive measure of the city. Let us be responsible because there is nothing wrong with observing the Holy Week inside our homes. This is the only thing that the city is asking from us,” Noble said.
To conclude the meeting, Leonardia thanked the business owners, residents and barangay officials. “Thank you to the residents of Barangays Pahanocoy and Punta Taytay, and to everyone who made this a reality!” the mayor said.
Also present in the forum were Liga ng mga Barangay president and Councilor Lady Gles Pallen, OIC-City Health Officer Dr. Edwin Miraflor, Executive Assistants Butch Soliguen and Tere Manalili; Lt. Col. Lester Leada of the Bacolod City Police Office, Engr. Amy Tentia, head of the Office of the Building Administrator, EOC deputy for medical Dr. Anna Ma. Laarni Pornan, who is also the head of CDRRMO; and Atty. Vanessa Encabo and Atty. Mikhail Reuben Sabig of the City Legal Office. (With a report from PIO)
