Festival status still pending

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

After previously indicating the possibility of cancelling this year’s Panaad sa Negros Festival due to ongoing concerns surrounding the coronavirus disease, or Covid-19, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said they have yet to decide on the matter and that he will be meeting with members of the Negros Association of Chief Executives on Tuesday.
“They invited me to talk about Covid-19 so I will, then, ask for the consensus on [the] Panaad Festival,” he explained.
However, he admitted to already receiving some feedback from local mayors who supported cancelling festivities after they decided not to hold such events in their respective localities.
Earlier this week, Negros Occidental provincial tourism officer, Dr. Jennylind Cordero, affirmed festival preparations remain underway, adding, they are about 80 percent complete with procurement already processed.
“If there is any announcement with regard to the threat of Covid-19, then, we will wait for the orders of the governor and the provincial board,” she said.
This year’s Panaad sa Negros Festival is scheduled to take place from April 20 to 26./DGB, WDJ