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The Kota Park in the city of Madridejos on November 27, 2020 was packed by a large crowd where the Madridejos de Suroy-Suroy Sugbo stage was held on the island of Bantayan. CDN digital photography | Morexette Marie Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia stands ready to face the national government’s investigation into the mass gathering during last weekend’s Suroy-Suroy Sugbo on Bantayan Island in northern Cebu.
The governor volunteered to be the first official to be questioned.
“I welcome your ‘fact finding’ investigation. And I offer myself to be questioned first and foremost, ”Garcia said in a text message sent to journalists.
García was referring to the pronouncement of the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, Eduardo Año, on Sunday, November 29, that an investigation team will be formed to investigate the crowd that gathered in Kota Park on November 27.
RELATED STORY: Year: Government will carry out investigation of facts about mass concentrations attended by Roque, Pacquiao
“After all, I started the mini Suroy-Suroy. And the crowd, with masks, in an open beach area, was there to see a presentation during the Madridejos Suroy-Suroy stop, “he added.
Kota Park, a heritage site in the city of Madridejos on Bantayan Island in northern Cebu, was the second stop for the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo on November 27, 2020.
The event drew criticism from netizens when photos and videos showed that the crowd seemed to be neglecting physical distancing.
They also criticized government officials, including presidential spokesman Harry Roque, who was invited as a “special guest”, for failing to immediately address the issue.
Roque and Madridejos Mayor Salvador Dela Fuente said they were surprised to see the crowd grow uncontrollable.
READ MORE: Mayor of Madridejos: the crowd became uncontrollable
Dela Fuente said local organizers and law enforcement were overwhelmed by the “enthusiasm of the crowd” to witness the event.
The mayor, for his part, assured citizens that they will implement stricter protocols and increase police visibility for similar events in the future.
Suroy-Suroy Sugbo on Bantayan Island was a three-day event organized by the Cebu Provincial Government and the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA).
Organizers previously said that the Suroy-Suroy was intended to boost promotional efforts in marketing Bantayan Island as a tourist destination, now that the improvements made to the Bantayan Island airport were recently completed.
RELATED STORY: The opening of the Bantayan airport is expected to boost the island’s tourism industry
The Capitol and MCIAA bombed a total of P94 million to transform the Bantayan Island Airport, located in Barangays Talisay and Okoy in the city of Santa Fe, from a community to a commercial one.
/ bmjo
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