By Joseph Jubelag
GENERAL SANTOS CITY- Amid the threats being posed by the novel Coronavirus (nCoV), local officials here have opted to cancel the celebration of this year’s Kalilanagan festival, which was slated this month.
City Councilor Shandee Llido, 2020 Kalilangan festival director, said Mayor Ronnel Rivera has recommended to the festival organizing committee to cancel the weeklong festivities which were scheduled February 14 to 27, following the release of a memorandum from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Health (DOH), advising local government units to forego with scheduled activities which attract huge crowds and audiences in the wake of the worldwide nCoV outbreak.
Llido said the festival organizing committee decided to forego with the celebration of Kalilangan festival this year since all major activities during the festival are considered crowd-drawer s which could be prone to possible nCoV transmission.
The Kalilangan festival is a yearly event which is in celebration of the city’s charter anniversary.
“We cannot put to risks the health of our constituents who will be flocking to the events in celebration of the Kalilangan festival,” Llido said.
She said city officials will push through with the wreath lying activity on February 27 at the plaza as the highlight of the celebration.