LA TRINIDAD Mayor Romeo Salda reiterated the earlier stand of the strawberry festival executive committee to cancel crowd drawing events including the 2020 Strawberry Festival amid threat of coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Despite the cancelation, two Ibaloy rituals will be conducted on March 20 in the valley.
“Sa-la-shey,” an Ibaloi prayer as a security measure to protect the town from the coronavirus, African Swine Fever and untoward incidents to happen anew according to La Trinidad Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) and Councilor Pendon Thompson.
Another ritual, “Panod-soran” is set to inform Kabunyan (god), ancestors, past town officials of the cancellation of Strawberry Festival amid coronavirus disease threat.
“In the olden times, these rituals have been observed amid untoward incidence to the family and the community itself amid calamities,”
The IPMR said that the town lost something financially due to less tourism activity, however, the cancellation of the annual crowd drawing fest is for the sake of the health of all stakeholders.
Salda earlier released an official statement to guide the public in light of persistent inquiries regarding the possibilities of reversing the earlier decision to cancel this year’s celebration of the festival and activities of similar nature.
The chief executive reiterated the Department of Health (DOH) February 7 advisory strongly urging the public to avoid attending, participation in, and organizing events that draw huge number of attendees and recommended the cancellation of big events or mass gathering until further advice.
“The latter advisory stands as the basis of the Strawberry Fest Executive Committee’s decision to altogether cancel the Strawberry Fest 2020, and we stand firm with this decision,” the official statement added.
Salda said the advice from the DOH is also the same basis for their decision to cancel crowd drawing events including concerts and pageants, barangay general assemblies, cooperative assemblies, major programs and activities and all other events of similar nature.
On February 11, Strawberry Executive Committee decided to cancel all activities for the La Trinidad Strawberry fest for purposes of public safety and security amid threat of the Covid-2019.
The mayor reiterated a previous order in the town for all residents and visitors to observe World Health Organization based recommendations to avoid crowded places and close contact, and practice of hygienic measures.
The public are further advised to avoid consumption of raw or undercooked animal products and report cases of people with cough, fever, and difficulty breathing especially those with travel history to or within China, Hongkong, Macau and Taiwan.
The town since has been celebrating the festival since 1981 to showcase strawberry as it ‘one town, one product and rekindle ties between foreign and local folks.
The town is the holder of Guinness World record for the largest strawberry cake baked back in 2005.
La Trinidad’s strawberry farm owned by Benguet State University in Barangay Betag serve as top tourist destination for strawberries, strawberry picking.
Considered as strawberry capital, the town has been generating over a hundred million from the strawberry industry.
As of February 15, the mayor added all tourist spots including the strawberry farm are open to all tourists.