Kapamilya actor Piolo Pascual and award-winning director Joyce Bernal’s filming request for President Duterte’s upcoming State of the Nation Address, (SONA) has turned down by Sagada council on July 5, 2020, Sunday.

The council was firm on its decision to prioritize the province’s health protocols, which include strict quarantine for arriving OFWs, suspension of all tourism-related activities especially in Sagada, and closure of their borders.

On July 6, the municipality of Sagada has posted an official statement regarding the shoot, it was explained that a coordinator from the Malacañang Presidential Broadcast Staff-RTVM called the office of the mayor and the Municipal Disaster Risk and Management Office to ask permission for Bernal's team to come for a video shoot in Sagada.

The request was denied after an emergency meeting conducted with Vice Mayor Felicito Dula, the OIC of Sagada COVID-19 task force, and the Municipal Disaster Risk and Management Office wherein they found out that the request was emailed on July 3, Friday at 5:04 p.m. which was clearly after the office hours.

Bernal's team were on their way to Sagada on July 5 despite the rejection of the request. She understood the situation and accepted the town’s decision. They were allowed to sleep last night at the Sagada Cellar door and expected to leave earlier today, July 6.

 “In these difficult times and in lieu of the foregoing reasons, we regret to inform you that entry of the team is being disallowed,” the local government unit’s letter stated. “Thank you for considering Sagada as the background of President Duterte’s SONA.”

The Sagada local government added that is not ready in terms of health facilities to handle the possible spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The town has one of the most stringent quarantine policies in Cordillera. It has not recorded an active COVID-19 case thus far.

Mountain Province’s lone case recovered on Thursday, July 4