BACOLOD CITY –– The provincial government-owned Mambukal Resort in Murcia town, Negros Occidental remained closed to the public as long as it is used as a healing facility for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government, however, continues to introduce improvements in the resort.
The provincial government, he said, allocated P19 million for the construction of more cottages at the resort in 2021 on top of the ongoing work on the P5 million Department of Tourism-funded food court.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the Mambukal Resort may open to the public next year, depending on the COVID-19 situation.
“We want Mambukal to open to the public as soon as possible, but we don’t want to take unnecessary risks and start an epidemic there,” he said.
Among the other improvements in the resort is to clear overgrown trees to prevent them from falling during typhoons and the repair of cottages.
Diaz said the Mambukal Resort is being used as a healing area for COVID-hit provincial government employees and members of their families.
It has six patients, he said.
Diaz said the provincial government wants to give the best possible accommodations to its employees and members of their families, who contracted the virus.