Baguio slows down on accepting tourists

BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio Tourism Office is only reducing the number of tourists in the city as cases of COVID-19 infections are on the rise again.

As of January 2, 2021, the City Health Services Office (HSO) logged 10 new cases, bringing the total active cases in the city to 73.

And as of 5:00 PM on January 2, one purok here was placed on a lockdown.

Baguio Tourism Officer Alloysius Mapalo also clarified Baguio is not on a lockdown. “We also did not stop the entry of tourists, they are actually here!” he stressed.

Mapalo said that they are not only allowing the to add more to the current pre-approved travels that already exceeded the allowed 5,000 daily from January 2 until January 8, 2021.  This, contrary to earlier reports that the city will no longer accept leisure travels.

“We’ll set new limits at reduced capacity and will announce such when finalized,” Mapalo stressed.

In the earlier announcement issued by the tourism office, leisure travel requests on the Baguio VISITA website are temporarily not allowed starting January 2, 2021 until further notice.   All pre-approved travels with issued Quick Reaction Code Tourist Pass or QTP will stIll be honored and allowed entry on declared travel date, yet still subject to mandatory triage upon entry.

The city government of Baguio is reducing the number of tourists in the city to prevent another surge of infections here.

Artemio A. Dumlao