Baguio Flowerfest opening parade shelved over nCoV concerns

BAGUIO CITY –– The opening parade for the 25th staging of the Baguio Flower Festival on Saturday (Feb.1) has been shelved as a precaution now that the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has officially been confirmed in the country.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced on Friday (Jan. 31) that he had canceled all crowd-drawing activities until the third week of February, including this year’s Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association (CARAA) Meet that was supposed to start on Feb. 16.

The Department of Education has notified the CARAA Board and will advise schools about the new schedule of the sports event.

Magalong said it would be up to the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association if it would proceed with its annual homecoming that starts on Feb. 13.

The city government is not under lockdown and guests may still come to the summer capital to savor its coldest weeks, he said.

The cancellations were backed by the DepEd, the Department of Health, and the Office of Civil Defense during a meeting on Friday noon.

Magalong lifted an executive order canceling university classes on Saturday because of the parade./lzb

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