Cousins admonished for pool party inside their house

By Jennifer P. Rendon

From advocating against family members dining together, local authorities also pushed that minimum health standards should be observed even by children and adults who go swimming even if they live under one roof.

Such was the case of a family who was cautioned after a Facebook live video showed them holding a “pool party” in the confines of their own house at Avanceña Village in Bagangay Dulonan, Arevalo, Iloilo City evening of June 7, 2021.

The “party” was reported by a concerned citizen to a radio station which was then forwarded it to Mayor Jerry Treñas.

Treñas then referred the matter to Nestor Canong, the head of the Iloilo City Compliance Monitoring Team.

Captain Chen Tañagras, Arevalo police chief, said they were also informed of the matter.

“It took us a while to locate the area where a pool party happened,” Tañagras said

Police later learned that the cousins – six minors and two adults – went swimming in an inflatable pool at their rented house’s garage.

Tañagras said they just accompanied the Compliance Monitoring Team led by Roi Acapulco to the area where the supposed “swimming fun at an inflatable pool, as what the team referred to, took place.”

But as to the specific violation, she referred the matter to Canong.

Meanwhile, Canong explained that what the youngsters did was a violation of the minimum health standards.

Even if they are relatives and living in the same house, they should still observe social distancing,

“The video clearly shows that they did not,” he said.

The aunt and guardians of the minors have explained the circumstances surrounding the FB live post.

They reasoned that the swimming was exclusively participated by cousins who lived in the same house.

But after a discussion with village officials of Dulonan, Canong said they reached an agreement with the parents of the eight “inflatable pool swimmers” to render community service in the barangay,

They shall do it for four hours a day for one week. They will render two hours of community service in the morning and another two hours in the afternoon.

The seven parents also committed not to repeat the same offense.