Caroling this Christmas season within the jurisdiction of Cebu City has been banned. /CDN photo Lito Tecson
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City’s Christmas celebration will be less jovial this year after Mayor Edgardo Labella banned caroling for health reasons.
The mayor said that caroling is usually a cause for crowding as most carollers go in groups, risking violating the social distancing protocol.
Since it cannot be controlled when and how many will carol together during the Christmas season, the mayor deemed it necessary to ban this activity while the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) continuous to spread.
“Dili lang una ta mo allow nga magcaroling sa atong syudad kay aduna gihapon ang COVID-19. Manghinaot ko nga masabtan sa katawhan nga ato una iban ang caroling sa mga kabalayan, sa mga sakyanan, ug sa mga kadalanan,” said the mayor.
The caroling ban would extend even to private areas such as subdivisions, condominiums, and other establishments. Doing so despite the mayor’s order would constitute a violation of the mandate against social gatherings.
Unlike in Metro Manila where the ban is targeted only to minors, the caroling ban in Cebu City is for all age groups and even adults and organized groups must refrain from doing so.
Labella will be releasing an executive order within today, November 10, 2020, for the guidelines of the no-caroling ordinance. /rcg