THE annual Easter Sunday spectacle in Minglanilla town, Cebu will push through this year albeit it will be shown online as in-person spectators are prohibited to avoid mass gathering, a super-spreader of the virus that cause Covid-19.
Mayor Elanito Peña announced on March 22, 2021 that he decided to hold the Sugat Kabanhawan Festival on April 4, a year after the religious-cultural event was cancelled in 2020 because of the community quarantine restrictions imposed by the government to slow down the spread of Covid-19.
The latest guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases include a provision on allowing limited religious activities in areas under modified general community quarantine, the current status of Minglanilla and entire Cebu.
The Sugat Kabanhawan will be limited to dancers, hosts, local government officials, directors and other essential personnel.
Peña said he will not allow any gathering in barangays.
He invited Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to witness the event in person.
Preparations
Minglanilla information officer Jay Fernandez said the participants are rehearsing for the pre- and post- festival activities—the crowning of the festival queen on Saturday night, April 3 and dance competition on Sunday afternoon, April 4.
The festival events will be held at the town’s sports complex.
The Minglanilla Police Station will secure the venue and monitor any mass gathering.
As of March 22, Minglanilla had 22 active Covid-19 cases.
Securing tourist spots
At the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), its leadership has decided to deploy 30 police officers to augment the local security forces in the port of San Remigio and Bantayan Island, a tourist haven in northern Cebu during Holy Week.
The augmentation force will arrive on Wednesday, March 24.
CPPO Director Alladin Collado said the additional personnel are from the Provincial Mobile Force Company.
At the Hagnaya port in San Remigio, the police officers will aid the local authorities in checking tourists if they are wearing masks and face shields before they board boats going to Bantayan.
The CPPO will also deploy tourist cops in tourist havens in southern Cebu—the towns of Badian and Moalboal.
Bus terminals and other ports in Cebu Province will be secured by more police officers in the coming days.
Collado also instructed his station commanders to conduct regular checkpoints to prevent road incidents. (ANV, AYB / KAL)