This Week in Iloilo (March 15 to 21, 2020)

This will be a cloudy week in the city but is still full of sunshine [1]. It’s also a little hotter this week with a maximum temperature of 33 °C. With the weather, it’s advisable to go out in the morning and at sundown. If you want to experience the city but don’t want to be exposed to the heat, there are many ways to do so without moving around too much. One option is strolling at Iloilo’s newest commercial district, the Iloilo Business Park. The area will give you an afternoon's worth of things to do, with its local restaurants, a museum to check the works of local artists, and shops for local delicacies and items to bring home.

Barangay officials who fail to implement the road clearing directive may face administrative sanctions [2]. This is the warning of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas to the remaining city barangays who failed to remove tricycles on national highways. Treñas said all barangays are only given until April 30 to get rid of tricycles on the national highway. If not, they face a sanction from the Department of Interior and Local Government.

While there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Iloilo, the city government continues to implement precautionary measures [3]. Recently, an executive order banning sea crafts and all vessels from COVID-19 affected areas including China, Hong Kong, and Macao from docking and entering any seaforts in the city was implemented. Meanwhile, those with a travel history to these areas are likewise encouraged to self-quarantine and report to their nearest health station.

Following the declaration of the nationwide public health emergency due to COVID-19, three more major events in Iloilo are postponed [4]. The Paraw Regatta Festival moved to April 1 to 5 is again postponed. This time, the organizers did not set a new date yet. Another postponed activity is the first-ever Iloilo Summer Arts Festival. Originally set in April and May, the event has been moved to October. Even the international event Dance Xchange 2020 of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is also moved to October. It was originally scheduled on April 29 to May 2.

The city government urges organizers and the public to avoid big events or mass gatherings. Authorities are also eyeing the cancellation of ceremonies of various elementary, secondary, and tertiary schools in the city.

To reduce trash, the use of single-use plastic is now being banned in the city [5]. A recent memorandum from the city mayor orders the ban of single-use plastic in public places. Among the banned items include drinking straws, coffee stirrers, sando bags, eating utensils, and cups.

Visit Yoorekka for more updates on Iloilo.