Sally Furniss
Well-known member
30 RP mayors back out of Saipan confab due to A(H1N1) fears
HAIDEE V. EUGENIO, GMANews.TV
05/14/2009 | 08:47 PM
GARAPAN, Saipan ? Some 30 mayors from the Philippines cancelled their trip to the US island of Saipan for the 2nd Annual Pacific Mayor's Conference due to A(H1N1) flu (?swine flu") fears.
Saipan has no reported case of the flu, but reports of the infectious disease spreading across the globe has resulted in a fewer attendance, organizers said on Thursday.
Less than 100 mayors and municipal council members turned up for the four-day conference, which started Thursday. Last year, some 300 local executives attended.
The delegates came from the CNMI, Guam, Kosrae, Palau, the Marshall Islands and the Philippines.
Of the 70 mayors who signified intention to join this year?s conference, almost half backed out at the last minute.
The Philippine mayors and councilors who attended arrived hours late for the opening ceremonies. They are from the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Bulacan and Zambales.
The Department of Public Health of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) on Tuesday assured the public that there was no truth to text messages being circulated about the flu spreading in Saipan and other islands.
Rumors swept Saipan since Tuesday afternoon about unconfirmed reports of cases of A(H1N1) virus in Guam.
Paul M. McDonald, president of the Association of Pacific Islands Local Government, regretted the travel cancellation of the mayors from the Philippines.
McDonald, who is the Mayor of Agana Heights on the US island of Guam, said there were also 19 Guam mayors who originally wanted to come but seven also cancelled at the last minute because of the flu scare.
Mayor Marissa Garcia Reyes of Balete, Batangas, said she, too, heard about the rumor through text messages but found out that it was a hoax.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/161313/30-RP-mayors-back-out-of-Saipan-confab-due-to-A(H1N1)-fears
HAIDEE V. EUGENIO, GMANews.TV
05/14/2009 | 08:47 PM
GARAPAN, Saipan ? Some 30 mayors from the Philippines cancelled their trip to the US island of Saipan for the 2nd Annual Pacific Mayor's Conference due to A(H1N1) flu (?swine flu") fears.
Saipan has no reported case of the flu, but reports of the infectious disease spreading across the globe has resulted in a fewer attendance, organizers said on Thursday.
Less than 100 mayors and municipal council members turned up for the four-day conference, which started Thursday. Last year, some 300 local executives attended.
The delegates came from the CNMI, Guam, Kosrae, Palau, the Marshall Islands and the Philippines.
Of the 70 mayors who signified intention to join this year?s conference, almost half backed out at the last minute.
The Philippine mayors and councilors who attended arrived hours late for the opening ceremonies. They are from the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Bulacan and Zambales.
The Department of Public Health of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) on Tuesday assured the public that there was no truth to text messages being circulated about the flu spreading in Saipan and other islands.
Rumors swept Saipan since Tuesday afternoon about unconfirmed reports of cases of A(H1N1) virus in Guam.
Paul M. McDonald, president of the Association of Pacific Islands Local Government, regretted the travel cancellation of the mayors from the Philippines.
McDonald, who is the Mayor of Agana Heights on the US island of Guam, said there were also 19 Guam mayors who originally wanted to come but seven also cancelled at the last minute because of the flu scare.
Mayor Marissa Garcia Reyes of Balete, Batangas, said she, too, heard about the rumor through text messages but found out that it was a hoax.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/161313/30-RP-mayors-back-out-of-Saipan-confab-due-to-A(H1N1)-fears