GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija (PNA) – The city government here on Monday, December 14, closed to both residents and visitors all local tourist attractions, including the plaza, night market and Vigan-like "Lumang Gapan" area.
In an announcement posted on social media, Mayor Emerson Pascual said he decided to order the closure due to the people's failure to follow the health protocols against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
"Pinagbawal ko ang mga bata at senior citizen pero dinadala pa din ng mga magulang ang mga anak nila. Nakikipag-away pa sa mga IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) at mga pulis ang mga magulang. Nawawala ang social distancing at meron mass gathering (I ordered the prohibition of children and senior citizens. But there are parents who are still bringing their children. There are even some parents arguing with the IATF and police. Social distancing is not observed anymore and there is mass gathering)," the local chief executive said.
The plaza located at the heart of this city features a 100-foot tall Christmas tree, a 45-meter tall ferris wheel designed as a giant lantern, and a multicolored water fountain, among others.
It is connected to the "Lumang Gapan" area by a tunnel of lights.
The night market is situated beside the plaza and offers local delicacies and street food.
City and police personnel manned these areas to impose minimum health protocols, but Pascual said the people utterly violated the orders.
"Madami pa na yung mga magulang idinadaan sa bakod mga bata makapasok lang dahil di sila makadaan sa gate, may bantay (There were parents who let their children sneak through the fence so that they could go inside because they were not allowed to through the gate where there is a guard)," the mayor said.
"Yung iba kukuhanan lang ng thermometer scanner sa noo ayaw pa (There were others who even refused to have their body temperature taken from their forehead through the scanner),” he added.
Pascual said that while he was happy to see his constituents enjoying and feeling the spirit of Christmas, he was worried about a possible surge in COVID-19 cases, especially with many visitors coming to the city.
"Kaya masakit man po sa amin, napagkasunduan namin ng IATF na pangsamantalang isarado na ang mga pasyalan sa aming lungsod hanggat hindi nakakahanap ng solusyon ang problema na ito (Even though it pains us to announce, we have agreed with the IATF to temporarily close the sites in our city until we can find solution to this problem),” he said.