In hiatus no more, Sagada is ready for health risk issues!
Mayor James Pooten Jr. has signed Executive Order No. 10-2020 lifting the suspension of ecotourism activities in Sagada on February 21, 2020 as the municipality laid strategic plans to combat health risk issues such as the Coronavirus disease 2019 (CoViD-19).
After 10 days of temporary closure of Sagada’s prime tourist sites and activities, Sagada partially opened some sites back to operation. Within that 10-day suspension, the LGU together with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government Unit (DILG) and other concerned agencies convened to develop strategic plans in relation to health risks brought by the CoViD-19.
It can be remembered that on February 13, 2020, Mayor Pooten signed Executive Order No. 07-2020 suspending all eco-tourism activities within the municipality of Sagada due to the threat of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The temporary suspension of the eco-tourism activities is a preventive measure of the municipality not to draw crowds that might potentially serve as carriers and spread the virus.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the COVID-19 can easily spread due to the cold climate, and in crowd drawing activities.
Temporary closure effects
“The lifting of the suspension was also due to the decrease of livelihood income and losses in the tourism industry of Sagada,” said Raymundo Basco, from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG),
According to Maria Teresa Abad, senior tourism officer of Sagada, the number of tourists had decreased from 168 to as low as 78 on February 16, 2020. With this, the revenues of most of the businesses decreased.
May, not her real name, owner of one stall in the Sagada public market said that she lost 30% of her regular revenues during the 10-day suspension of tourist activities.
Further, Teresita Ego, owner of Green House Inn, claimed that the lodging facility lost almost 80-90% of her regular revenue since the facility’s customers are domestic and foreign tourists.
Opening Sagada to tourists
The decision of the LGU was arrived at after a conference with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). That it is in accordance with the joint statement of the DOH, DILG, and the Department of Tourism (DOT) that the Philippines remains safe to organize and facilitate public gatherings and festivals. However, health protocols advised by the DOH must be followed.
In the lifting of the suspension, various tourist sites were opened which include the Adventure trail, Mount Ampacao, Bomod-ok Falls, and Pongas Falls. Spelunking (caving) activities and sunrise viewing activities are not yet allowed. Accordingly, this is to avoid close contact in crowded places with cold temperature where the virus can easily spread.
With this, however, the DOH mandated that all tours must start at 7:00 a.m. when the sun is already out. It is noted that high temperature can lessen the risk of the spread of COVID-19.
Health protocols to be strictly followed
Although there is a partial lifting, drivers, frontliners, tourist guides, and tourists must abide by the health protocols given by the DOH such as the use alcohol and face masks. Aside from that, tourists must also be referred first to the COVID Fast Lane for further assessment and examination.
To tighten the security, the DOH also regulates the inn keepers, lodge keepers, drivers, and tourist guides to register their guests with their names and their drivers with the Tourist Information Center for monitoring and data gathering.
According to Jeofry Domowey, a tourist guide, “although there is a temporary lifting of the suspension, we need to observe the precautionary measures for the safety of everyone.”
“It is okay that the temporary suspension is only partially lifted, for it also serves to protect the community and people,” agreed Unica Delos Reyes, a tourist.
Sharia Victoria, also a tourist, added that although it is only partially lifted, at least there are still tourist spots where they can relax and enjoy.
Though, livelihood and economic losses were observed in the suspension of activities in some tourist sites, Sagada is hopeful it will boiunce back.**Karen Dumayna, BSU-DevCom Intern
