Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser revealed in a radio interview on Friday, March 25, that she personally visited the night market.
“Ako ra’y na-worry sa ilaha. Kadaghag tao (I was worried for them. There were a lot of people) but in all fairness, people were wearing their masks, so that’s a good thing,” Schlosser said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
The health official said she understood the large number of people who waited patiently to enter the prominent night market, which had suspended for two years during the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said, though, that the crowd around the vicinity seems to be more than the pre-pandemic setup.
“As much as possible, dili ing-ato kadaghan ang gathering. Sobra gyud, as in, puno siya. The entire alley gikan sa Ateneo [de Davao University] padulong didto sa pinakadulo sa Paternos, ing-ana siya kadaghang tao. Ma-Shakira ka sa kadaghan sa tao (we would avoid those kind of large gatherings. The area was filled with people. If you notice that the line reached the entire alley fronting Ateneo all the way to Paternos. You would be shocked by the influx of people),” Schlosser said.
Despite being under Alert Level 1, which permits 100 percent maximum capacity in establishments, including the night market, she reminded the public not to be complacent in following health protocols as these areas are vulnerable to the transmission of the Covid-19 virus.
She lauded the security personnel around the area for ensuring not only the security of the market goers, but also to ensure that the health protocols would be followed.
Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) head Angel Sumagaysay told SunStar Davao in a phone interview that the large lines were highly expected, but they were still able to enforce the protocols.
Sumagaysay said around 5,000 people, including the vendors and stall owners were inside the night market.
From time to time, he said market goers were reminded to wear their masks all the time, except when they’re going to eat.
The security official said no untoward incidents were reported during the first day of its reopening, and that they would continuously intensify their monitoring inside to avoid another security threat, like what happened in August 2016, wherein a bomb exploding, killing 14 people and 70 injuries.
Sumagaysay, meanwhile, reminded market goers that the area, considered as a “maximum security zone,” will not allow people who have backpacks and jackets to enter.
