BONTOC, Mountain Province: The technical working group of the 16th Lang-ay Festival canceled the event amid the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), but will still hold the 53rd Foundation Day of the Mountain Province. The Provincial Health Board issued the resolution on February 20, saying that while the province remained free of the Covid-19 there was an urgent need to intensify measures to prevent its spread. Stating that “prevention is better than cure,” the local government units believe they are not prepared for the containment of the Covid-19, especially on manpower and facilities in the event of a breakout. Johnny Co, provincial administrator and chairman of the steering committee, said with the cancellation of the Lang-ay Festival, the focus would now be on the commemoration of the province’s Foundation Day on April 7. “We hope that Covid-19 will disappear soonest so that our lives will be normalized.”The search for Ms. Mountain Province 2020 and the Agro-Trade Fair will also be canceled.

Source: Manila Times February 27, 2020 16:25 UTC