Tourists and assisting tourism officers at the Puerto Princesa International Airport. (Photo courtesy of DOT Mimaropa)
Hotels and similar establishments in Mimaropa are not allowed to operate under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ), unless they are serving stranded tourists or hosting frontline workers.
From the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), the region will be placed under GCQ starting May, except for Marinduque which extended the ECQ.
In spite of the current situation, Tourism Mimaropa Regional Director Chris Morales expressed hope that the region can bounce back from the impact of COVID-19 Pandemic.
“Not only for the Tourism industry players but more so for the smaller workers like tour guides and others,” said Director Morales.
But for now, Department of Tourism Mimaropa is looking after those tourists who are still in the region.
Director Morales said DOT is not only mandated or duty bound to help the tourism industry for the income but help the tourists that are affected by the community quarantines in the best way it can.
In a report submitted to the regional National Economic Development Authority, DOT Mimaropa has been tracing and monitoring foreign and domestic tourists in the region at the height of the ECQ.
As of April 26, a total of 437 tourists (25 foreign and 412 domestic) were stranded but still plans to go back to their places of origin while 448 tourists opted to stay.
Around 6,628 foreign and domestic tourists were assisted by DOT Mimaropa in 150 flights and ferries.
One hundred and fifty domestic tourists benefited from tourist Care Plan vouchers (cash assistance). (Lyndon Plantilla/PIA-Mimaropa)
