Guimaras drops Manggahan Festival due to virus threat

ILOILO CITY – The islandprovince of Guimaras will not be holding this year’s Manggahan Festival due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) threat.

The cancellation has followed the Executive Order 32 signed by Guimaras Governor Samuel Gumarin on Friday which temporarily suspends the entry or tours of guests from Metro Manila and other areas that may be affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Liberty Ferrer, senior tourism operations officer and officer-in-charge of Guimaras Provincial Office (PTO), said the cancellation of the festival will leave a big impact on the province.

Known for its sweetest mangoes, Manggahan Festival entices 60,000 to 90,000 tourists during the event proper.

The event this year was supposedly scheduled on May 11 to 22.

“Manggahan is a big event that encourages tourists to cross here. We are economically alive when we have Manggahan festival,” Ferrer said in a phone interview.

But the provincial government has placed public health as its priority.

Gumarin also ordered that Guimaras residents who came from Metro Manila and other areas that have local Covid-19 transmissions may be allowed to enter provided that they shall undergo mandatory selfquarantine for 20 days under the supervision of the rural health unit concerned. ■