CANCELED. The big cross at the peak of the Balaan Bukid in Jordan, Guimaras, a favorite destination of pilgrims and devotees every Holy Week. Guimaras tourism office in-charge Liberty Ferrer said on Thursday (April 1, 2021) said Lenten events in the province for this year have been canceled. (PNA file photo)
ILOILO CITY – Lenten events in the province of Guimaras have been suspended but the rest of its tourism attractions will be open to the public this Holy Week.
Liberty Ferrer, senior tourism operations officer and officer-in-charge of the Provincial Tourism Office (PTO), said the municipality of Jordan has already declared that Balaan Bukid closed and it follows that there will be no staging of the “Pagtaltal sa Balaan Bukid” or the dramatization of the passion of Christ held during Good Friday.
This will be the second year that the event is canceled, which is estimated to gather around 50,000 pilgrims in just three days.
The “Pamalandong sa Tamburong” at the Holy Family Hills in Barangay Tamburong in the municipality of San Lorenzo is also called off.
Pilgrims used to visit the place for its attractions such as life-sized religious statues and Stations of the Cross. It will be open every Wednesday and Friday after this Holy Week.
More or less 5,000 to 8,000 visitors go to the place during Lenten season, Ferrer said.
Meanwhile, the municipality of Buenavista will have a virtual “Siete Palabras” (Seven Last Words) and a replay of its Worship Festival on Friday.
The Worship Festival convenes six religious groups in a celebration.
It enjoins parishioners and devotees to participate and celebrate activities such as meditations, retreats, religious congress, youth camps, musical and stage shows praising and depicting the Lord’s life and sustaining moral and spiritual values development and enhancement of the community, among others, she said.
This year, it will be a replay of their previous years’ events, she said.
“As much as we want to because it has been a practice for devotees and pilgrims to visit Guimaras during the Holy Week, yet we still prioritize the health and safety of everyone. They can always reflect in their homes and spend time with their family,” she said.
However, while Lenten events are scrapped, they can also visit the province’s other destinations.
Ferrer said they already met with resort owners to remind them of guidelines relative to the health pandemic.
“The rest of our attractions are open and we always remind them to observe health and safety protocols,” she said.
She added that the province is asking the cooperation of everyone to comply and adhere with the health and safety protocols and always prioritize accommodation establishments and enterprises that are accredited by the Department of Tourism. (PNA)
