THE BAGUIO Tourism Council, composed of private and public sector members, has appealed to the city government to lift the ban on leisure travel for vaccinated visitors and those with a negative RT-PCR test result.
“Stringent lockdowns have wreaked havoc on the economy resulting to loss of jobs and livelihood,” the council said in a resolution signed on Oct. 5.
It also said that 100% of the city’s tourism and economic sector frontliners have been fully vaccinated.
The city government, among the first to reopen to tourists last year, suspended all non-essential travel in early September following a surge in cases.
Baguio, one of the most popular urban-mountain destinations in the country, is currently under the second most relaxed quarantine level known as the general community quarantine with heightened restrictions. Under this category, leisure travel is allowed with limits on hotel and dining capacities.
“The presentation of the vaccination cards and/or the negative PCR test would be the perfect balance to revive the economy while not unduly burdening the health care system,” the council said.
As of Oct. 5, Baguio had a total of 25,970 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, of which 4,547 were active, 20,902 recovered and 521 died, based on City Health Office data.
Its COVID-19 isolation and quarantine facilities were at 66% occupancy rate. — MSJ
