Baguio vendors support stricter entry protocol despite income loss

Baguio City, Philippines – With the return of stringent entry protocol and reduction of daily visitors in this city due to the rising number of COVID-19 infections coupled with the threat of the Omicron variant, Baguio vendors agreed with the imposition of tighter protocol to protect them from the virus.

Despite the possible impact of the new entry protocol on their livelihood, the vendors supported the regulation to avoid surges and worse after effects.

Marilyn Paragas, who lost an economic source for almost two years since the COVID-19 pandemic swept, said that as much as they want to recover their losses, public health is still a top priority so that they understood when a stricter protocol is being implemented, especially that the number of the dreaded omicron variant cases in the country is growing.

Baguio Burnham Park Bicycle Association member Sergio Bagitan, as reported by Mt. Province Broadcasting Corporation, also said that he supports whatever decision the city government has to do in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic because, he said, experts know better what measures should be in place to control the virus.

Starting today, Jan. 6, 2022, the number of tourists to the summer capital approved through the Visitor Information and Travel Assistance app (VISITA app) shall be reduced to 4,000 from 5,000 visitors.

Additionally, tourists have to present testing requirements before they are given entry to the city.

Last November, Baguio started accepting a limited number of tourists after more than a year of closing its borders.

The city then gradually increased the daily curb to 4,000 on December 6 and to 5,000 on December 15. However, the actual number of tourists coming in surpassed this number since hotels and other lodging houses can allow entry of visitors via their own triage facilities.

It can be recalled that the city government allowed visitors to skip the central triage and proceed directly to their hotels and lodgings.

At present, however, according to the City Tourism Office, the city maintains a strict entry protocol, saying that border guards and triage workers have sent back many visitors with incomplete requirements.

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