The provincial government of Cebu failed to consult the Department of Health regarding its latest measure to accept unvaccinated foreign tourists starting March 1, which is opposed to the national policy that limits entry to fully jabbed leisure and business travelers.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday the Department of the Interior and Local Government would coordinate with the province to discuss the issue.
“The DOH was not consulted regarding this measure or protocol for incoming travelers like foreign nationals,” she said in a media briefing.
“The IATF has protocols that every local government must follow. We will discuss this at the IATF and DILG, of course, will coordinate with Cebu,” she added.
Vergeire reminded local government units that measures crafted by the pandemic task force must be implemented nationwide.
“The policies that the IATF issues mandate all LGUs to follow because these protocols must be implemented nationally so that we can continuously protect our borders and we can prevent further transmission of diseases,” she said.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia signed on February 9 an executive order allowing the entry of unvaccinated business and leisure travelers to the province beginning March 1.
The travelers, according to the order, need only to present a negative RT-PCR test result taken 48 hours prior to departure from the country of origin, get swabbed upon arrival, and undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of their second RT-PCR result taken on the fifth day.
The national government, through IATF Resolution 160-B, allowed the entry of foreign tourists on February 10 but only those who are fully vaccinated.
Elsewhere, while Boracay welcomes fully-vaccinated local and foreign tourists, it is also offering booster shots for island visitors, the Department of Tourism announced.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat announced during the launch of the “Resbakuna sa Botika” program at the Watson’s Pharmacy City Mall Boracay that the vaccines would be administered by licensed pharmacists on the island.
“The Philippines finally opened its borders to inbound leisure travel, a development we have been waiting for after nearly two years. We expect Boracay Island, our crown jewel of tourism, to once again fill up with travelers from around the world. The ‘Resbakuna sa Botika’ Program will provide an added layer of protection to the island’s domestic visitors. This will impact on the tourism industry and all the Filipinos whose livelihoods depend on tourism,” she said.
She stressed the program would make it even more convenient for the island’s population to gain access to life-saving vaccines, and bring the boosted vaccination rate closer to 100 percent faster.
Based on the Department’s data, 17,910 of the targeted population of tourism workers on the island have received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. About 2,671 workers or 15.29 percent have been given booster shots.
“This number is expected to boost the confidence of tourists in travelling to Boracay, knowing that the people who make their stay wonderful are protected,” Puyat said.
In addition to the island’s already high vaccination rate, the DOT sustains inspections related to accreditation, minimum health and safety guidelines, while the Safety Seal certifications are continuously being conducted by the DOT’s Boracay Field Office to prepare Boracay tourism establishments for the anticipated influx of visitors.
As of February 7, 2022, 81 accommodation establishments and 1 travel and tour agency/operator in Boracay have been certified under the Safety Seal program. A total of 24 establishments—including the island itself – have received the Safe Travels Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council.
About 12,956 rooms in 314 accredited accommodation establishments are available for local and foreign guests on the island.
To make travel more interesting, the DOT will soon unveil new tourism products on the island that include Boracay Biking Tour, Boracay Food Crawl, and the Boracay Wellness Workation Program for those who want to work remotely on the island.
Puyat reiterated the importance of maintaining close coordination between the public and private sectors, as well as regular stakeholder discussions on how tourism on the island can be improved.
“I am looking forward to our discussions on how we can further improve Boracay’s recovery. It’s always good to hear your perspective and opinions on the situation. I assure you, the DOT respectfully takes these into account whenever we formulate our policies and programs to bring forth a safer, stronger, and more inclusive tourism industry,” she said.
Meanwhile, more than 2,000 foreign visitors while at least 6,000 overseas Filipino workers and balikbayans arrived in the Philippines on the first day of the implementation of opening of the country’s borders, the Bureau of Immigration said.
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said the agency recorded over 8,000 arrivals, about 30 percent of which are foreigners on the first day of easing restrictions on fully vaccinated foreign travelers.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the bureau was projecting that arrivals could rise up to 10,000 to 12,000 per day in the coming months.
The government started to allow the entry of foreign nationals arriving from visa-required countries and restricted foreign nationals subject to certain requirements.
