DAVAO CITY – The local government of Island Garden City of Samal (IGACoS) has temporarily banned Chinese and other Asian nationals from touring the island.
This was confirmed by IGACoS Information Officer Michael Anthony Homez in a phone interview on Thursday morning.
Homez said Mayor Al David Uy immediately released the order after the arrival of at least 79 Chinese nationals from Jinjian, China on Wednesday.
He said the mayor got alarmed because the Chinese nationals might go to IGACoS and his city is not ready if ever the novel coronavirus (nCoV) affects the island.
“Mao to, iyang gikahadlukan nga mo adtog Samal katong 79 ka buok ( He (Uy) was just afraid that those 79 nationals will go to Samal),” he said.
A source said that out of the 79 passengers who arrived in Davao via Xiamen Air flight MF8679, 19 are Chinese tourists, 54 are Chinese residents and workers, while six are Filipinos.
The information officer said the city will really have difficulty if the virus affects the island city since they have no hospitals equipped to handle the quarantine and isolation of such fatal virus.
Homez said though their local government unit might be accused of discrimination, he said Uy was just prudent to make the move for the welfare of his constituents.
He said the order is directed to all tour operators since all foreign nationals usually go to them if they want to visit IGACoS.
“Willing si mayor, for the meantime, i-sakripisyo ang tourism industry. Kay kung masudlan sa coronavirus ang Samal, both ang tourism industry ug ang katawhan sa Samal ang mag-suffer (The Mayor is willing to sacrifice the tourism industry because if their city will be affected by the coronavirus, both the tourism industry and people of Samal will suffer the blow),” he said.
Homez also bared that prior to the temporary ban, their City Health Office is now monitoring five Chinese nationals who are still staying in one of the resorts there.
He added that the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council will convene for the appropriate measures that need to be implemented against nCoV in their area.
Homez said their mayor will also meet with the Department of Tourism on the temporary ban of the said foreign nationals in their city. (Armando Fenequito)
