BORACAY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) will allot P8 million for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing of some 4,000 tourism workers here.
“By supporting the RT-PCR testing of workers in Boracay, the Department reiterates that safety is the unparalleled priority in reopening domestic tourism,” said Tourism secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Monday.
On Oct. 1, Boracay reopened its borders to tourists from General Community Quarantine (GCQ) areas as approved by the Inter Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases.
“We want to restore confidence among travelers and protect their health and well-being as our tourism workers get their livelihood back,” said Romulo-Puyat.
DOT expects more local tourist arrivals in Boracay in the coming months.
“We are hopeful that, by reviving tourism with health and safety measures in place, the tourism industry will make it through the pandemic and be a strong catalyst for economic growth in the new normal,” said Romulo-Puyat.
A tourist planning to visit Boracay must also undergo an RT-PCR test that must be taken 48 hours prior to departure.
Confirmed booking in a DOT-accredited accommodation establishment, air tickets, and the negative test results should be submitted online, through http://aklan.gov.ph, for the approval of the Aklan provincial government.
Each visitor who is cleared to travel to the island will then be issued a unique personal QR code for monitoring. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
