By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
All cemeteries in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental will be temporarily closed from October 30 to November 2.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia issued separate executive orders (EO) ordering the closure of all public and private cemeteries, memorial parks and columbaria as a precaution against the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his EO 21-47, Lacson cited the continued increase in the number of active COVID-19 cases in the province.
And to prevent the influx of people and mass gatherings during this year’s observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ days, the governor directed all local government units to comply and implement his order through their respective Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and Traffic Management Authority, with the assistance of the police and other force multipliers.
The governor also warned any individual, group, or establishment caught not complying with the provisions of the executive order, as well as the established health protocols set by the Department of Health, and the National Inter Agency Task Force, will face the appropriate administrative and or criminal sanctions under existing laws and regulations.
Meanwhile, Leonardia’s EO No. 50 issued yesterday stated that visitor occupancy in all public and private cemeteries, memorial parks, columbaria, and the like in Bacolod City will be increased to a maximum of 30 percent of the venue capacity at any given time from October 15 until November 15, 021.
“But that such facilities shall be temporarily closed to visitors from October 30 until November 2, inclusive, for a strict implementation of health and safety protocols on mass gatherings during the Undas season,” the EO added.
As of Saturday, October 16, Negros Occidental has recorded a slight drop in the number of active COVID-19 cases at 4,012 compared to the 4,489 recorded a day before.
Bacolod City, on the other hand, recorded 121 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, bringing the total active cases in the city to 1,841./DGB, WDJ