BAGUIO CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Baguio Bureau) – It’s only January, but many are already calling Tim Yap’s birthday party at The Manor Hotel in Baguio City the “Party of the Year.” Not to mention being held in the midst of a raging pandemic and the rising new Covid -19 cases in the summer capital of the Philippines.

Wikipedia describes Yap as a Filipino TV and radio host, newspaper editor, creative director, columnist, club owner and eventologist from Manila who also owns several clubs in the Philippines. 

His birthday bash was filled with pomp and pageantry, complete with white horses, buffet dining, drinking and dancing.

Alas, the party has come under fire for alleged violation of health protocols and community quarantine rules set by both the national and local governments. Possible violations include breaching maximum event and venue capacity under Baguio’s Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), face mask/face shield and physical distancing regulations, among others.

Photos also showed famous people in attendance, including KC Concepcion, Sharon Cuneta’s daughter, and no less than the City Mayor himself, Benjie Magalong.

Asked for comment by The Adobo Chronicles, Magalong said he was there for contact tracing purposes.

The Mayor is the Contact Tracing Czar of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

There is speculation that Baguio City, along with the rest of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) could be placed under the stricter General Community Quarantine (GCQ) as early as next week due to the increasing number of new Covid-19 cases.