Viviane Aguilar, 42, has found a new calling. After attending to Covid-19 patients at the height of the pandemic as a barangay health worker, she is now a tourist ambassador.
Instead of looking after patients, she now looks after the needs of tourists by giving out information and by serving as a tourist guide in Kapurpurawan, Burgos, Ilocos Norte.
The Kapurpurawan Rock Formation is located on the rocky coast of Burgos. It is known for its creamy white and streamlined limestone formations which have been sculpted by different oceanic and weather forces.
The town of Burgos is also famous for the Burgos Wind Farm, which is operated by EDC Burgos Wind Power Corp. The 150- Megawatt Burgos Wind Farm is the largest wind power project in Southeast Asia and is located within a 600-hectare site. The facility consists of 50 wind turbines, each with a capacity of three Megawatts, generating electricity for the Luzon Grid.
“After the local government unit (LGU) rolled out of the Covid-19 vaccines, we were told to apply as tourist guides and I was more than happy to accept this,” Aguilar said in an interview with BusinessMirror. “This is my way of helping my hometown recover from the pandemic.”
Holy Week influx
The influx of tourists in the province started during the Holy Week with the provincial government reporting over 14,000 arrivals who stayed at least a night there. This is the highest number of arrivals since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.
The Ilocos Norte Tourism office (INTO) said domestic tourists accounted for most arrivals. The long weekend also brought 700,000-day visitors, or those who did not stay overnight.
Most travel restrictions in the province have been eased under Covid-19 Alert Level 1. Fully vaccinated tourists only need to show their vaccination cards upon entry.
Ilocos Norte was the first province in the country to receive a “safe travel” stamp from the World Tourism Council and the Department of Tourism for being compliant with the safe travel protocols and other requirements.
“Let us make sure that we prioritize the people behind the industry and make sure that they are the ones who will benefit the most. I truly believe that Ilocos Norte is among the premier tourism destinations in the country,’ said Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc, who recently won his reelection bid.
To lockdown or not?
When asked if the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) would be declaring a lockdown any time soon, Manotoc said they considered the word lockdown a bad word and that he had no plans to place the province under a lockdown.
“We were the first in Luzon to open up to tourists. Of course, safety is a priority. We won’t overreact to Covid but there is a way to balance it, especially now that we know how to do it,” Manotoc said, adding that the LGU had fully immunized all tourism workers, established tourist triaging areas and conducted regular hotel inspection.
Ilocos Norte relies heavily on tourism and the recent conduct of a gala night is a testament of the LGU’s efforts to recognize those who support their battle against Covid-19.
Awards were given out to establishments that were converted into quarantine facilities and to tourism workers who volunteered during the lockdown. The gala night also showcased the province’s Inabel fabric which was worn by candidates of Miss Ilocos Norte 2022.
“We are ready to accommodate tourists after the elections, especially if former Senator Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. wins the election. (He is the presumptive President as of press time) We expect more people to visit the province, similar to what happened in Davao when President Rodrigo Roa Duterte won the elections back in 2016,” Manotoc said, adding that he is hopeful that the situation will continue to improve.
Resort closure
Karen Lucas, who is on her 9th year as a tourist guide, told BusinessMirror in an interview that she witnessed first-hand how the tourism industry was really badly affected by the pandemic. The pandemic forced the closure Hannah Beach Resort, one of the province’s biggest resort owned by the late Air Force Col. Ricardo Nolasco Jr.
“I hope that with the return of tourists, resorts that were closed during the pandemic would reopen their doors and give job opportunities to my fellow Ilocanos,” she said. Lucas was one of the volunteers who was recognized during the gala night.
Businessman Ramon Manotok opened his bed and breakfast establishment named Hakuna Matata in front of the famous Saud Beach in Pagudpud last October 2021.
“It was a trial run because it was our first time to put up something like that. So far, so good but with the help of the local government, we were able to invite more people. We were very lucky because we are fully booked until June,” Manotok said.
Amenities
Compared to the other resorts in the area, Hakuna Matata only has seven rooms, However, the establishment’s selling points are its food and amenities. Hakuna Matata offers pizza and sushi and amenities for water sports such as surfing, kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.
He recently added a local band that entertains dining guests with a repertoire of Ilocano folk and love songs.
Manotok related that when he purchased the property in 2019, he had to deal with financial constraints brought about by the rising prices of construction materials. This was made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. When he opened his restaurant back in 2021, the establishment required that their guests undergo RT-PCR tests before arriving at the bed and breakfast.
“Our governor and the rest of the LGU did a very good job. They got Covid-19 under control. Investors like us are very happy with the way they handled things. I believe in Ilocos Norte. I believe in Pagudpud. We will be able to recoup our losses. This may not happen overnight but I am not going anywhere. I am here for the long run,” Manotok said.