THE Philippines government is encouraging its citizens to travel domestically and have their vacations in Boracay island following its reopening to tourists this month.
Inquirer.com quoted presidential spokesman Harry Roque in calling for support for domestic tourism, as Boracay welcomes visitors again after seven months of closure.
However, visitors must test negative for Covid-19 via Reverse Transcription – Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) or swab test between 48 hours and 72 hours prior to travel.
"The president's (Rodrigo Duterte) message is, we must live despite Covid-19.
"It is time for us to take a vacation after a very long lockdown, especially in Metro Manila.
"What I want … is to encourage the public because if we do not visit Boracay and planes are empty, the flights will be cancelled," Roque said on Monday (Oct 5) in a virtual briefing.
Under Boracay Inter Agency Task Force (BIATF) guidelines, tourists from destinations under a general community quarantine and modified GCQ classifications, including the National Capital region, are now allowed to visit the island.
Aklan provincial governor Florencio Miraflores, shared that tourist arrivals since the Oct 1 reopening has ranged only between 35 and 53 arrivals per day.
However, these numbers are expected to gradually rise, and all it takes "is a little confidence," he added.
"The fear of travel is still there... Our tourists should not worry because here on the island of Boracay, they are safe from Covid-19," Miraflores added.
Malay town acting mayor Frolibar Bautista stressed that Boracay has been virus free for months, assuring that the island complies with health protocols.
Bautista further added that 204 hotel and accommodation establishments have been allowed to operate by the Trade Department, while his own office has issued 365 certificates to premises to operate.
A resort management, however, noted the drop in staff numbers, as rooms are also lacking in occupation.
Henann Group of Resort chairman Henry Chusuey said his establishments used to employ 2,200 in Boracay, but only 100 of them have returned to work since the island's reopening.
At present, only around 20 of the resort's 1,600 rooms are filled.
"If it is easier for the tourist to come, I'm sure our workers will return.
"But it has to be easy for the tourists to come here," said Chusuey, who supports the use of antigen tests at the airport when tourists arrive.
On this matter, Roque stressed that antigen tests must first pass a pilot study being conducted in Baguio City, before they can be approved to screen domestic travellers.
Despite the reopening of top tourist spots, the Philippines continues to record thousands of new Covid-19 infections daily
The archipelagic nation has registered 324,762 cases with fatalities at 5,840.