FORTY individuals who attended a party are currently being contact traced after one of the guests tested positive for coronavirus, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in a radio interview on Tuesday, August 25, 2020.
Duterte-Carpio said the city is now investigating the incident of a wedding party of a prominent family, of which she did not disclose.
The mayor, during the interview, chided the family for holding the event even amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Before nahitabo ang wedding party, niistorya na daan ang organizer na (Before the wedding party, the organizer already warned, saying) 'Look. What you are planning is risky because it can possibly be a source of the spread of the Covid'," Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
The mayor said despite the organizer's warning, the family still pushed through with the event.
The number of individuals for contact tracing, according to the mayor, might even increase because the organizers and other workers might have been infected by the virus, as well.
Duterte-Carpio said this would not have happened if the family observed the city's minimum health protocol, particularly limiting the number of their invited guests.
While the mayor did not name anyone, she also criticized some wealthy families who continue to defy with the government's protocol.
The mayor said she already forwarded the incident to the City Legal Office to look into possible charges that may file against those responsible for the holding of the event.
"Ang mga datu they think they know everything, that they're above the law, tungod naa silay kwarta... So the wedding party happened, guess what? Naay nagpositive. Karon, we do contact tracing... It became a problem when dili naman unta to dapat...kung dili lang kaayo mo magsalig sa inyong kwarta ug status. We already ask our City Legal to look into this matter," Duterte-Carpio said.
Meanwhile, the mayor emphasized that such extravagant celebrations are highly discouraged while the city is still under a state of Covid-19 pandemic.
This was emphasized in her Executive Order (EO) 25, released early April this year, declaring April 17 to December 31, 2020, a period of mourning and vigilance, as the global deaths due to the highly infectious Covid-19 continue to rise.
The EO states that private parties to mark personal or family milestones should be kept low key and modest, meaning a celebration in a public place should be held with no more than 25 guests, while those who want to pursue big celebrations can do so next year.
The mayor clarified that she is not against the public holding celebrations, especially birthday parties, but minimum health protocols must be observed, including the wearing of face masks, two-meter physical distancing, and handwashing with soap and water, or with alcohol, while in public areas.
"We do not prevent it because we want people to live their lives despite the pandemic. What we only want people to do is practice and implement health protocol in their activities, establishments, and offices. Mao ni inyo contribution aron di mutaas ang transmission and cases sa Covid-19 (These are your contributions to curb the transmission and increase of Covid-19 cases)," Duterte-Carpio said.