VIRUS HALTS ‘RUN FOR JESUS’: Religious event in city cancelled over COVID-19 concerns

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

The Iloilo City government in coordination with the provincial government has decided to cancel the international “Run for Jesus” event on Thursday amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

Authorities are also tracking Koreans who already arrived in Iloilo for the event.

South Korea has reported a surge in COVID-19 cases in the past days, causing concerns among health officials here.

During the coordination meeting Tuesday, several government agencies from the city, province including the Department of Health (DOH) in Westeen Visayas recommended for the cancellation of the event as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.

“Bangud sa sitwasyon sang coronavirus sa South Korea, ginakanselar ta ang permit nga ginhatag sang siyudad para sa Run for Jesus event scheduled on February 27,” Mayor Jerry Treñas said Tuesday.

The event was expected to draw around 20,000 participants, including Koreans.

Senator Manny Pacquiao was supposedly to attend also.

According to Treñas, COVID-19 cases in South Korea dramatically surged from 31 to 763, a week after Run For Jesus was organized in Daegon City, Korea wherein one of the churchgoers was diagnosed for the infection.

“The same event is also planned to be held here in Iloilo City, specifically in La Paz Plaza on Thursday, with attendees and organizers from Korea considered as persons under monitoring or PUMs,” he said.

However, several Koreans have already arrived in Panay Island and more are expected to arrive through the Kalibo International Airport even before the cancellation of the event.

Authorities in the city are still tracking four Koreans who arrived for the event and were allegedly billeted in hotels in the city.

As a measure, the city government issued an executive order urging passengers from South Korea to undergo self-quarantine.

“Given the origin of the expected guests from Korea and given the number of people that will be exposed to the danger, we highly encourage passengers to voluntarily submit themselves to self-quarantine,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) also wrote a letter to the provincial government of Aklan to temporary hold all arriving guests from Korea and be temporarily contained in Aklan Training Center for monitoring.