The municipality of San Remigio, Antique is temporarily closing down its tourism sites after two new coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases were confirmed in the locality.

Mayor Margarito Mission Jr. said in an interview Monday that he issued Executive Order 155 temporarily banning local tourists and suspending tourism-related activities in Barangay Aningalan and its neighboring villages of Tubudan and La Union.

“I issued December 21 the Executive Order 155 because of our two new active Covid-19 cases who are in fact health workers,” he said.

Barangay Aningalan, which is the town’s premier tourism destination, is also known as the summer capital of Antique. It is famous for its Igbaclag Cave, zip line, and strawberry farms.

Tubudan and La Union villages, on the other hand, have beautiful upland sceneries and are known for their high-value crop production such as broccoli and cabbage.

“Let us sacrifice our tourism industry first for the good of the general public,” Mission said as he appealed for cooperation from resort owners and operators in Aningalan and the two other barangays.

Likewise, the mayor reminded operators and drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to strictly observe physical distancing while plying their routes to and from the municipality.

“Mandatory wearing of face masks of all private and public individuals who transact business within the local government unit or any other public places within and outside the territorial jurisdiction of the Municipality of San Remigio is strictly required,” Mission said on his Executive Order 155.

The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) reported the new Covid-19 cases in San Remigio last Dec. 18 and 19.

Mission said contact tracing by the IPHO and local health workers is still ongoing in the said three villages. (PNA)