Baguio mulls tourism travel

Magalong said children may be allowed to travel with their families, as long as they have been antigen-tested

Baguio City’s government is looking at allowing non-essential travels into the Summer Capital of the Philippines, including by tourists, as Covid-19 cases continue to drop.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong said fully vaccinated non-essential travelers may be allowed entry into the city soon amid data analytics showing a downtrend in virus transmission.

He said that Covid reproduction numbers, as well as critical care utilization rates and occupancies in hospitals, have been going down while recoveries are going up.

Magalong cautioned, however, against the city drastically easing restrictions in its borders, citing a need to guard against a surge in cases.

“We must make sure that the decrease in cases is sustained and that we do not open up too early. This so our health workers can rest,” Magalong said.

“However, the situations in our medical facilities are now improving,” he added.

Baguio has bought 50-pound and smaller oxygen tanks for the use of patients with severe symptoms or those who are critically ill because of the virus, the mayor said.

All cases, whether critical, severe, mild or even asymptomatic, are being provided the necessary care and monitoring at hospitals and quarantine centers, he added.

Those undergoing isolation at home are being monitored by barangay health workers, Magalong said af ter meeting doctors to encourage them to conduct more telemedicine or contact-less consultation.

On the looming reopening to tourists of the city to help its economy, Magalong said children may be allowed to travel with their families, as long as they have been antigen-tested.

If leisure travel is approved, tourists will be monitored for strict compliance to minimum public health standards such as the proper wearing of masks and shields, social distancing and frequent hand sanitizing.

They are also advised to register with visita.baguio.gov.ph within 24 hours of travel and to present their vaccination cards and other needed documents.

Essential travels have always been allowed, with registration to hdf.baguio.gov.ph and presentation of vaccination cards, if fully vaccinated.

A negative result of RT-PCR or Philippine Red Cross saliva test together with the QR code generated from the online registration suffices if the traveler is not fully vaccinated.

PHOTOGRAPH BY RIO DELUVIO FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE @tribunephl_rio Sharp contrast Away from the happy crowds at Manila Bay’s dolomite beach, it’s a hard life under the searing heat of the sun for 65-year-old Jaime Hortilano as he gathers recyclable materials off the banks of the Parañaque City fishport. Previously, Hortilano worked 14 years in a sectarian school.