DUE to the continuing threat of Covid-19, organizers of Mati City's summer party activity Summerfrolic will have to skip this year's event.
"It has always been an excitement for our team to announce our event date each and every year. Unfortunately, for now, we’ll have to skip yet again this year," organizers announced in a Facebook post on Saturday, March 20.
"Until then, be safe everyone and enjoy your summer ahead!” the organizers added.
This was the second time Summerfrolic was postponed. Organizers canceled the event supposedly slated from June 5 to 6, 2020.
SummerFrolic was established in 2014 in an effort to promote Dahican Beach and Mati City as major tourism attractions.
Dahican Beach is a seven-kilometer stretch of white sand facing the Pacific coast and is one of the popular tourist destinations in Davao Region. Aside from skimboarding and surfing, Dahican is also famous for its pristine marine environment, the beach being nesting sites of marine turtles.
Meanwhile, Mati City Information Officer Ben Tesiorna told SunStar Davao in an online interview via Messenger that they welcome the organizer's decision.
"We welcome the announcement of the organizers of this annual Summerfrolic considering that the world is still fighting the pandemic. What we need now is to focus all our efforts in fighting Covid-19," Tesiorna said.
He added, "Dahican will be there for years to come and we can still party once the pandemic is over."
Tesiorna said beach parties are considered mass gatherings, which is prohibited under City Ordinance 427 or “Disiplina Panahon sa Pandemya Ordinance.”
Mati, along with the rest of Davao Oriental, is currently modified general community quarantine until March 31.
The city has since allowed tourism establishments and activities to operate but under limited capacity, as mandated by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang issued Executive Order 40 on October 5, wherein walk-in guests will not be allowed to stay overnight in the province's tourist destination. They must present confirmed booking appointments in the accommodation establishment. All border control checkpoints will have a list of establishments accredited by the Department of Tourism.
Tourism establishments are urged to utilize online or mobile modes of reservation and payment applications.
Upon entering, guests will undergo a mandatory screening that includes checking body temperature using a thermal scanner or thermometer gun.
As of March 20, the Mati City Incident Management Team recorded a total of 517 confirmed Covid-19 cases, wherein 19 were active cases, 485 recoveries, and 13 deaths.
Davao Oriental, meanwhile, had a total of 1,295 confirmed cases, wherein 29 were active cases, 1,237 recoveries and 29 deaths.