By Tara Yap ILOILO CITY —Schools near the area where 11 Chinese tourists have been quarantined in Kalibo town, Aklan province have suspended classes since Thursday to lower the risk of possibly contacting the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV). Kalibo Mayor Emerson Lachica issued an executive order on the class suspensions for both public and private schools in Old Buswang village. “This is a precautionary measure to prevent any transmission to students, the faculty, school administrators, school personnel or employees, residents, and constituents in that part of Kalibo, and to placate the grave concern,” Lachica said in the order. The Aklan Provincial Health Office has been monitoring 11 Chinese tourists, some of whom visited the world-famous Boracay Island in Malay town for several days now. They are staying at a hostel managed by the Aklan provincial government. Schools that suspended classes include Saint Gabriel College, Starglow Center for Academic and Arts, the Regional Science High School for Region 6, and the Buswang Old-Bachao Sur Elementary School. Class suspension in the area will be in force until the monitoring of the 11 Chinese ends and when the area has undergone decontamination. A private Filipino-Chinese school in Iloilo City has also taken measures in the fight against nCoV. Hua Siong College of Iloilo has issued a memorandum for a two-week self-quarantine for students, teachers, personnel, and parents who travelled to countries with confirmed nCoV cases.