ILOILO City – Tourism promotion in Western Visayas goes on despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is boosting its existing programs and looking ahead into creating fresh ones, according to DOT-6 officer-in-charge Cristine Mansinares.
She cited Boracay Island’s biking tour program. DOT has collaborations with the local government unit and stakeholders there.
There’s also the proposed Visayas cluster tourism program which includes motor-touring and biking activities, among others, with regions 7 and 8, said Mansinares.
“We are so happy that Region 6 has the most number of DOT-accredited farm sites in the Philippines. Currently, we have 42,” she added in a virtual press conference with DOT Secretary Bernadette Puyat.
Puyat said DOT is continuously supporting regional tourism programs, especially in terms of promotion.
The department even subsidizes the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests of tourists, she pointed out. They only have to pay P750.
Puyat also said tourism frontliners working in hotels and restaurants, among other tourism-related establishments converted into quarantine facilities, are now included in the priority list for COVID-19 vaccination.
“Noong Holy Week sana, lahat dapat papunta na sa Region 6 para mag-enjoy or bumisita sa kanilang pamilya pero dahil sa tumaas ang cases namin dito sa NCR natigil,” said Puyat.
She added: “Ang ating tourism frontliners importante na mabakunahan para hindi na tumaas ang cases at maging protektado na sila,” she stressed.
The DOT executive also cited the support program of the government to pandemic-affected tourism workers and tourism establishments through the Bayanihan To Recover as One Act of the national government.
On the other hand, Puyat stressed the importance of having tourism establishments accredited by the DOT to ensure their compliance to various health and safety protocols relative to COVID-19.
She noted that in Region 6, the DOT has received 64 complaints against non-compliant tourism establishments.
These now are being investigated and in fact, some were already told shut down, said Puyat.
“Kasi seryoso tayo lalo na ngayong COVID. Kailangan talagang masigurado natin na ‘yung mga turista natin ‘pag pumunta sa hotel ay safe. Hindi lumalabag ‘yung hotel or accommodation resorts sa health and safety protocol,” said Puyat.
She also thanked netizens who reported these non-complaint tourism establishments.
The DOT regional office is also conducting spot checks on tourism establishments, said Puyat./PN
