The Philippines’ month-long nationwide mall sale, aimed at mitigating the economic impact of the deadly coronavirus outbreak, will not push through as planned this month, the Department of Tourism announced Saturday.
The event, billed as the Philippines’ version of Singapore’s Great Sale and Hong Kong’s Summer Sale, was supposed to take place in the entire month of March as part of the 2020 Philippine Shopping Festival. No alternative dates have been disclosed.
“As much as we want to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), the safety of our citizens remains our priority. We advise the general public to maintain proper hygiene and follow the guidelines set by the Department of Health to contain the spread of the virus,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a statement.
She said the department also followed the move made by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Health in pushing for the cancellation of the travel trade show ITB Berlin.
Puyat thanked participating establishments for supporting the decision.
She reminded malls to follow the precautionary measures set by the Department of Health to prevent the spread of any virus, including checking the temperatures of mall-goers.
ASEAN summit sked
At the same time, the United States has delayed a regional ASEAN summit scheduled to take place in Las Vegas in March due to fears of the coronavirus, a senior administration official said.
“As the international community works together to defeat the novel coronavirus, the United States, in consultation with ASEAN partners, has made the difficult decision to postpone the ASEAN leaders
meeting,” said the official on condition of not being named.
Leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations had been due to be hosted by President Donald Trump on March 14.
The official said the United States “values our relationships with the nations of this critical region, and looks forward to future meetings.”
The announcement came as health officials in California confirmed the United States’ second case believed to have been transmitted to a person who did not travel overseas or come in contact with anyone known to be ill.
The DOT agency has coordinated with the mall establishments and cited their support for the decision to postpone the nationwide sale for the safety of customers.
“The malls are still free to continue (their) day-to-day operations.”
Precautionary measures
The DOT also recommends that malls follow the precautionary measures set by the Department of Health, such as checking the temperatures of mall-goers before allowing them to enter and the provision of more hand sanitizers in their premises,” the DOT said.
The department has yet to provide a target date for the event.
The DOT had repeatedly maintained its stance to prioritize the safety of the public more than visitor arrivals and revenue.
At the height of Taal Volcano’s unrest in January, the DOT recommended ceasing the operations of all tourism establishments in the affected areas for the safety and well-being of tourists and employees alike.
The announcement also comes a day after Health Secretary Francisco Duque discouraged the Tourism Department from pushing through with the event.
It could have been the first time for the country to hold a nationwide mall sale, which was expected to bring in revenue for businesses and help lift tourism from the slump caused by the imposed travel ban and flight cancellations.
In February alone, the country was expecting to lose ₱14.8 billion in tourism or a total of ₱42.9 billion in revenue if the travel ban on China, Hong Kong, Macau, and South Korea’s North Gyeongsang Province lasts for three months.
Death toll: 2,900
The new coronavirus has killed more than 2,900 people mostly in China since the outbreak began in Wuhan City in Hubei province December 2019.
In the Philippines, three Chinese nationals have been infected with the virus – one of them died, while the remaining two have since recovered and left the country.
In the United States, President Donald Trump has played down fears of a major outbreak in his country even as infections were ricocheting around the world.
There are now more daily cases being recorded outside China than inside the country, where the virus first emerged in December, according to the World Health Organization.
Cherry blossom festivals
Meanwhile, major cherry blossom festivals in Japan have been cancelled due to the deadly new coronavirus, the latest in a growing list of events quashed as the epidemic spreads globally.
The traditional spring celebrations in Tokyo and Osaka, which attract millions of people wanting to seeing the white and pink flowers, will not go ahead as planned in April.
“We are sincerely sorry for those who were looking forward to the viewing… but please give us your understanding,” the Japan Mint in Osaka said Friday.
Other cherry blossom events”•feverishly anticipated by locals and tourists”•are likely to follow suit, according to local media.
Organizers of Tokyo’s Nakameguro Cherry Blossom Festival said people could still enjoy the blooming trees that grow along public roads.
Trees in Tokyo will soon be in full bloom, with friends, families and colleagues typically flocking to parks for sometimes raucous, alcohol-fueled celebrations.
The cancellations come as authorities step up efforts to tackle the outbreak in Japan, which has reported more than 230 infections and five deaths.
Schools are closed and the government is urging people to work from home or commute during off-peak hours and avoid large gatherings.
The operator of Tokyo’s two Disney resorts — Disneyland and DisneySea”•said Friday the parks would be closed for around two weeks due to the virus.
Universal Studios Japan in Osaka has also shuttered for a fortnight.
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