Baguio’s Opening Up To Tourists Face Frowns

September 7, 2020 JUST IN

La Trinidad, Benguet (September 7, 2020) – Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas said although they are respecting the decision of the Baguio City government to open up its spots to tourists coming from the Ilocos region starting September 21, coordination among towns surrounding it should be ironed out.

Since Baguio City is inside Benguet, and tourists have to pass within the territories of towns in Benguet, coordination and planning with the other members of the BLISTT (Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay) should be a requirement to ensure also that protocols be strictly observed for the safety of everyone.

Although Diclas acknowledged “it is good that the City of Baguio is opening its tourism because it means a lot to the people for their economic recovery and sees no problem with the move because it is the livelihood of the people that will benefit,” there is a downside to it when health protocols are breached.

Tourists will have to undergo health protocols and must be negative from the virus. “Then there are no reasons to prohibit them from visiting the tourist spots,” Diclas, a physician, reiterated.

While the Benguet governor also said that they are not totally opening the province to tourists. They are yet to come up with guidelines and conduct consultations with the stakeholders and different municipal local governments of Benguet, Diclas bared.

While Tuba Mayor Clarita Sal-ongan admitted that municipal and barangay officials were disappointed to learn through social media about the agreement between Baguio city government with local officials of Ilocos Region provinces for the gradual opening of the tourism industry in Northern Luzon. Sonsultations should have first been done with Baguio City’s neighboring local governments, she said.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong on September 1 entered into an agreement with the Governors and representatives of the different provinces and cities in the Ilocos region in planning and setting guidelines and appropriate measures to rev up the economy, through the reopening of tourism.

Baguio City has targeted to open up tourism for locals and from Region 1 on September 21.

Artemio A. Dumlao