BAGUIO CITY—The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cordillera has advised all local government units (LGUs) to keep their areas of jurisdiction safe and to strictly enforce existing minimum public health and standards (MPHS) during Holy Week, as heavy traffic is expected throughout the region, with Kailyans and tourists penchant for observing traditional religious rites.
“We are urging our local chief executives and other functionaries to continue reminding their constituents and the general public to strictly implement and enforce the MPHS established by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID), the Department of Health, and other relevant government agencies,” said Araceli San Jose, Regional Director of DILG-CAR today.
She also urged local governments (LGUs) to convene their local peace and order councils (LPOCs) to plan, anticipate, and prepare for the heavy movement of people from various locations, focusing on ensuring the availability of adequate public transportation and emergency medical services, with peace, order, and public safety as their top priority.
RD San Jose emphasized the importance of activating and putting on heightened alert LGUs and DILG’s attached agencies such as the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to ensure that region is peaceful, orderly, and safe during the Christian holiday.
The deployment of barangay tanods and law enforcers in the vicinity of recreational areas; local and national roads for increased visibility and traffic management; and in critical areas to prevent the entry and exit of lawless elements is also encouraged.
“For Filipinos, Semana Santa (Holy Week) is a time of spiritual recollection. Our LGUs should ensure that people can undertake their activities without worrying about their safety, especially in the Cordilleras,” RD San Jose said.
She also reminded the public, particularly tourists, to appreciate and respect local culture, as well as to help local governments keep recreational areas, pilgrimages, churches, markets, and other travel destinations and public places clean by not littering and disposing of their trash properly. (PMTG-DILG-CAR)
