PMA alumni homecoming to be cancelled?

MANILA, Philippines — The annual alumni homecoming of the Philippine Military Academy set on Feb. 14 and 15 may be cancelled amid reports that a wife of a PMA officer who recently arrived from China showed symptoms of the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV).

“One of our camps is threatened because the wife of an officer who came from Hubei province manifested symptoms five days after her arrival,” a PMA alumnus who refused to be identified said.

Several PMA alumni are opposed to the holding of the homecoming, in support of the Baguio City government’s decision to cancel the opening parade of the Panagbenga Festival last Feb. 1 due to the threat of nCoV.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that the wife of the PMA officer was confined at the V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon City for suspected nCoV, but noted that she tested negative for the flu virus and had been discharged.

Lorenzana said Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and the leadership of the PMA Alumni Association Inc. (PMAAAI) would decide today on whether to push through with the activity.

PMA superintendent Rear Admiral Allan Cusi recommended the postponement of the alumni homecoming as a precautionary measure against nCoV.

“PMAAAI will surely receive a lot of flak from residents of Baguio City and the public if we decide to push through the homecoming,” another PMA graduate said.

However, PMAAAI president Rufo de Veyra said the holding of “low density, low-intensity homecoming activities”confined at Fort Del Pilar pales in comparison with ”high-density festivities,” such as the Panagbenga Festival.

Panagbenga Festival

Health experts, city government officials and organizers of the Panagbenga Festival will decide on Feb. 21 whether to cancel the grand float and street parades on Feb. 29 and March 1, respectively.

Andrew Pinero, spokesman for the Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc., said the temperature in the city is among those to be taken into consideration.

In cancelling the opening parade of the flower festival last Saturday, Magalong noted that nCoV thrives in cold weather. 

Baguio continues to chill, with the temperature recorded at 11 degrees Celsius yesterday. – With Artemio Dumlao