FOR all her efforts to reopen tourism destinations, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat has now taken issue with the numerous and various visitor entry requirements of the different local government (LGUs).
In a news conference this week, she cited for instance, that many LGUs have their own travel apps, which tourists have to download on their phones to fill in health declaration forms, book accommodations and register for tours, and submit Covid-19 test results or register for them at the destination they are visiting.
“I’ve been traveling around the country, as you know, and each location has its own [travel] app. I’ve downloaded so many on my phone, my screen is already running out of space,” she declared.
Aside from the apps, each destination has its own set of health and safety protocols.
For instance, in Baguio City, tourists only need to take an antigen test, whereas in other destinations like Bohol, El Nido, or Boracay, visitors have to present negative results of an RT-PCR test.
In provinces like Ilocos Sur, not only does the visitor have to present a negative RT-PCR test result, he also has to take an antigen test upon arrival at the border, even though the RT-PCR is the more accurate test to determine the presence of the novel coronavirus in one’s body.
Some LGUs also demand medical clearances and travel authorities, while in destinations like Tagaytay, the LGU doesn’t demand any Covid-19 tests or travel passes from visitors.
“Since tourists would wish to visit several destinations, it is confusing and cumbersome if LGUs have different apps, protocols and requirements to comply with. Thus, uniformity should make travel plans a lot easier and, ultimately, more fun,” Romulo Puyat said.
In a news statement, the DOT chief expressed appreciation to local government executives for strictly implementing health and safety protocols, even as they have started welcoming tourists.
“We are truly impressed with the efforts of the LGUs for extending a hand to our tourism industry stakeholders in getting back on their feet again, as well as making available safe tourism sites to our fellow Filipinos who long for outdoor activities,” she said.
However, she noted that consensus had developed among the members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) for “uniform travel requirements” that are within the existing omnibus interim guidelines.
In its meeting on December 14, IATF members agreed to amend the guidelines as follows: mandating clinical and exposure assessment for travelers; simplifying and condensing the pathways into two algorithms—for inbound international travelers and interzonal domestic travelers; providing LGUs a free hand to determine appropriate protocols “aligned with the omnibus interim guidelines”; and, enjoining implementing agencies to issue necessary supplementary guidelines.
“Given these parameters, and in order to facilitate the ease of travel of our kababayans, we strongly support the proposal for LGUs to adopt a uniform set of guidelines, listing the requirements and step-by-step procedure, for compliance of visitors to tourist destinations,” the DOT chief said.
Among the standard travel protocols that the LGUs have are the Covid-19 test-before-travel or test-upon-arrival options, the validity of the required Covid-19 test, confirmed hotel reservation with a hotel or resort accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT), confirmed round-trip plane tickets, and an itinerary with a DOT-accredited tour operator.
Romulo Puyat cited the Visitors Information and Travel Assistance (Visita) travel app currently being used by the Ridge to Reef travel corridor of Baguio City, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur as a proven and effective means to trace contacts of visitors and control the number of arrivals, the data of which can be used for planning and research purposes.
“We want all destinations to take advantage of this digital system for free, through our attached agency, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB),” she added. The TPB has helped fund the creation of the Visita app, but also has its own travel app.
However, the DOT chief deferred to the LGUs on when they would reopen their destinations to tourism. “After all, it is the host destination that reaps the benefits of a well-planned, ‘all-systems-go’ restart, versus the ill consequences of a hastened, premature reopening,” she said.