Mayor suspends Bacolaodiat celebration

By Dolly Yasa

 

Bacolod City – Mayor Evelio Leoardia suspended the public celebration of the Bacolaodiat Festival and all revelries/activities relative to the Chinese New Year.

The move aims to maintain strict observance of health and safety protocols against the spread of COVID-19 infections.

Leonardia issued Executive Order no. 4, Thursday suspending the celebration of the Bacolaodiat Festival today, February 12, 2012, or any day of the month.

The suspension covers activities including but not limited to parades, exhibits, road shows, any contest in streets or any open public places in the form of dance/talent/singing/beauty/costume/pyrotechnic and the like; concerts, sports events, open market/food/plants/wares/apparel fairs, industrial/commercial fairs; or any other form of peddling/interactions/transactions in open places at public roads/streets/alleys/parks/squares, and the like.

The EO also directed the Business Permits and Licensing Office not to  issue any business permit or license to operate any form of activities or events in connection with the February 2021 Bacolaodiat Festival.

It further said that any permit/license that may have already been issued/granted prior to this Executive Order is deemed revoked/cancelled.

Leonardia also asked the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City to avoid the issuance of any permit/license for any activity or event attendant to or related with the February 2021 Bacolaodiat Festival celebration.

If ever it has granted such permit, the mayor asked the SP “to appropriately act in revoking the same had there been a prior issuance, under its power and authority provided in Section 21 of the Local Government Code of the Philippines.”