SAGADA, Mountain Province – The cultural lockdown this town imposed from Jan. 29 to Feb. 4 has been extended due to the continuing and expected spike in Covid-19 cases.
Mayor James Pooten said the observance of the sedey or the cultural lockdown is extended until Feb. 11.
The cultural lockdown is imposed to assist in mitigating the spread of the Covid-19 and to facilitate cleansing within the Sagada community.
“In view of the rise in cases in Sagada and its nearby municipalities, the wide coverage of the ongoing contact tracing efforts and of the province-wide response to implement strict border controls, the cultural lockdown in the municipality of Sagada earlier advised to end on Feb. 4 is hereby extended until Feb. 11,” Municipal Advisory 45 signed by Pooten stated.
Following the surge of Covid-19 cases in Mountain Province in January, Sagada initially implemented the week-long sedey.
On the last week of January, the National Inter Agency Task Force against Covid-19 through the Bases Conversion Development Authority and the Bureau of Fire Protection, in coordination with the Cordillera Regional Task Force against Covid-19 and the local government units in Mountain Province, conducted aggressive community testing in the different towns.
Pooten said results of the mass testing conducted are seen to bring another surge in cases.
As of Feb. 2, Sagada recorded 40 Covid-19 cases with 25 active cases and 15 recoveries. Thirty-four of the town’s cases were recorded just this year.
During cultural lockdown, entry to the municipality will be prohibited except in cases of extreme emergency.
Movement of persons in the community will be limited to emergency and essential purposes such as purchasing of essential goods and accessing or reporting to offices and industries, which are allowed to operate.
Establishments allowed to operate will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. only. Those allowed to operate include the municipal and barangay offices, financial institutions, hospitals and medical facilities, agricultural sector covering local farms and fisheries, utilities and utility services which include but is not limited to water, gas, and electric services and the public safety services.
Social and mass gatherings are temporarily prohibited including religious gatherings and cultural rites unless obligatory such as in case of death.
Vehicles only intending to pass through Sagada going to other municipalities will be allowed passage but are strongly advised to take the Sagada-Dantay road and pass through Pegeo Control Point for record purposes.
Regular workers from Sagada employed in other municipalities are advised to make suitable work arrangements for the duration of the sedey.
All cargo will have to be met by the receiving party at the Pegeo Control Point except for the entry of essential goods, namely LPG, rice, and animal feeds, which will be granted provided that a negative antigen test result is presented while aggregate firms operating along the Chico River in Bontoc will be allowed entry under a “drop and go” transaction but the drivers are consequently advised to go on self-isolation.
The issuance of letter of acceptance is temporarily suspended. – Redjie M. Cawis
April 24, 2024
