DOH, DOT, DILG see no need to cancel festivals, conferences due to COVID-19

Public gatherings, meetings, and festivals in the Philippines should not be hampered by the threats of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which has already sparked global scare, national government officials said on Tuesday.

In a joint statement, the heads of the Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Tourism (DOT) said that it would be safe to organize and attend public events in the country as long as precautionary measures were in place.

Despite giving the green light, the government officials underscored that the safety of the public and those in the tourism sector should remain paramount.

Earlier this month, the DOH released an advisory urging the public to avoid participating in events that involve huge crowds to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

"The clarification bodes well for the tourism industry given that the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sector is a huge contributor of tourism revenues and jobs," Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a separate statement.

"The MICE business has a long value chain involving the accommodation, transportation, food, recreation and retail sectors," she added.

Puyat urged event organizers to follow the precautionary measures prescribed by the DOH.

"Equally important is the role of the DILG and the local government units in enforcing and monitoring the implementation of the said guidelines to ensure the safety of our guests," she added.

As a precautionary measure against the COVID-19, the Philippines imposed travel restrictions to China and its administrative regions.

The travel ban to and from Taiwan has already been lifted on Friday.

Overseas Filipino workers are now also exempted from the outbound travel ban to Hong Kong and Macau.

The DOT previously said that the country stands to lose P42 billion in tourism revenues from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan due to the outbreak. —NB, GMA News