Koronadal City, South Cotabato – The Provincial Government of South Cotabato continued to decorate and adorn the provincial capitol with Christmas lights and decorations surrounding its building and compound despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, however, in order to avoid mass gatherings, no formal program for the annual ceremonial lighting was conducted, and only persons aged twenty one (21) to sixty (60) years old are allowed to enter the capitol premises, in accordance with the latest executive order of Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr.
Executive Order No. 64, series of 2020 entitled “An Order Extending the Implementation of Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) in the Province of South Cotabato from December 1 to 31, 2020” provides:
“q. As our continuing campaign for effective COVID-19 response and strategy, all those vulnerable residents (below 21 years old and sixty years old and above and those with compromised health conditions) are enjoined to stay at home except those who are allowed under the Revised Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines. xxx”
Meanwhile, Governor Tamayo released his official video greetings for the celebration of Christmas 2020 in the Province of South Cotabato on December 17, 2020.
“Hindi magiging kumpleto ang pagtatapos ng taon kung hindi natin maipagdiriwang ang Paskong Pilipino. Sa kabila ng mga hamong ating ikinakaharap, ating napatunayan ang ating katatagan, pagkakaisa, pagtutulungan, at higit sa lahat, ang sama-samang pagbangon. Huwag din nating kaligtaan na ang tunay na diwa ng Pasko ay ang pagsilang ni Kristo Hesus na ating tagapagligtas. Sa mga minamahal kong South Cotabateños, nawa’y patuloy nating ibahagi ang mga pagpapalang ating nakamit upang taos-puso nating maihatid ang tama at maayos sa serbisyo sa patuloy na pag-angat ng Probinsya ng South Cotabato. Mula sa inyong Gobernador, Jun Tamayo, kasama ng aking buong pamilya, mga kasapi ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan, at mga kawani ng probinsya, kami ay bumabati sa inyo ng isang Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon.”
