Baguio to accept tourists from Ilocos region starting September 22

MANILA, Philippines — Baguio City is set to reopen to tourists from the Ilocos Region next week, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Friday. 

"Beginning September 22, the City of Baguio will be open to tourists from Region 1. The process is easy: register online, undergo the triage and show your confirmed hotel reservation," the COVID-19 task force spokesman confirmed, speaking partially in Filipino during a Laging Handa virtual briefing. 

Roque is currently in Baguio with the city's mayor Benjamin Magalong, also the country's contact tracing czar, and National Action Plan Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon to inspect the city ahead of its partial reopening. 

"Their entire triage is very efficient and the submission of their documents are all computerized," Roque said in Filipino, adding that the  city's strict enforcement of minimum health standards and cashless transactions should be emulated by other local government units. 

As it gradually reopens, Baguio will limit the tourists it accepts to 200, Magalong said as he joined Roque's regular virtual briefing later the same day. 

In addition to this, the city's mayor said it will only accept tourists who book trips through guided tours.

"Bawal po muna ang DIY (Do-it-yourself trips not allowed yet)," Magalong said.

In August, the city government of Baguio announced its target to slowly bring tourism back in September after months of community quarantine induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. — Bella Perez-Rubio