IATF approves 100% capacity staycation; swab tests waived

MANILA, Philippines — With the significant decrease in the number of coronavirus cases in Metro Manila, duly accredited hotels are now allowed to resume operations up to 100 percent capacity  for “staycation” without the need for guests to get swab tests.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said yesterday the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has allowed Department of Tourism (DOT)-accredited accommodation establishments with certificates of authority to operate for staycation to accommodate guests up to full capacity.

“These staycation hotels may also forgo with the COVID-19 testing of guests as a prerequisite for accommodation as long as only 18 to 65 years old shall be allowed as guests,” Roque said, quoting IATF issued Resolution No. 117 promulgated on Thursday.

But accommodation establishments in areas under general community quarantine may accommodate guests for leisure purposes up to 30 percent of their venue capacity, subject to DOT guidelines, the IATF said.

Roque said, however, that guests should come only from the same household.

The IATF also provided that the local government unit (LGU) with jurisdiction over these accommodation establishments shall strictly monitor their compliance with minimum public health standards.

Meanwhile, Roque said the IATF also mandated the LGUs to adopt and utilize the Department of Information and Communications Technology Vaccine Administration System (D-VAS) to be done in phases as may be determined by the DICT, without prejudice to the use of the LGU’s own local database system as a supplementary system.

Following their meeting last Thursday, Roque said the IATF also allowed the resumption of off-track betting activities at stations of the Philippine Racing Commission. This will be limited to selling tickets only, in areas under GCQ and modified general community quarantine, subject to strict observance of minimum public health standards.

The IATF has also reviewed on Thursday all COVID-19 related statistics to determine the next quarantine classification status in the National Capital Region Plus areas and the rest of the country by June 1. President Duterte is expected to make a decision on the classifications over the weekend, and may announce the new quarantine status by Monday.

Outbound travel from NCR

Tourists from Metro Manila and its surrounding provinces, collectively known as NCR Plus, may travel outside of the region by June 1 in the proposal filed by the DOT.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the DOT is seeking the approval of the IATF to restart travel in NCR Plus by June 1.

Puyat said COVID-19 infections in Metro Manila are declining as a result of the revert to lockdown, and this development should result in relaxing travel restrictions that prevent tourists from leaving the region.

“We are hoping that by June 1, because cases are continually decreasing, that leisure travel will be allowed. What we are pushing for is to authorize travel from NCR Plus to outside,” Puyat said in an interview with “The Chiefs” on One News last Thursday.

Indeed, the spread of the virus in Metro Manila has slowed even with the region’s downgrade to GCQ with heightened restrictions on May 15. Average number of daily cases in the nation’s capital fell by at least 80 percent to 1,099 in the last seven days as of May 26, according to OCTA Research.

However, OCTA said transmission rates are picking up in regions both near and far from Metro Manila, especially in Southern Tagalog.

Likewise, travel hotspots like Baguio City and Puerto Princesa are dealing with a recent spike in COVID-19 infections in spite of efforts to contain their internal outbreaks.

Further, OCTA fellow Guido David appealed to the government to keep NCR Plus under GCQ to sustain the improvements it made when it reverted to enhanced community quarantine from March 29 to April 11 and to modified ECQ from April 12 to May 14.

Puyat is also asking the IATF to remove the age restrictions for leisure stays in hotels located in NCR Plus. She said the government should give families the chance to interact in a safe bubble like premium lodgings accredited by the DOT. –  Elijah Felice Rosales