Tourism in Sagada, according to its mayor, is still closed despite the move to open Baguio City to tourists. He told this in a zoom meeting with selected governors and mayors of the BLISTT last Monday. Baguio will be opened to tourists coming from Region 1 by October 1, 2020 even if it was earlier set at September 22, 2020.
It was learned that preparations are still ongoing but the city will be ready by October 1. The mayors of the LISTT areas have cautioned that they should be first consulted as tourists going to Baguio will have to pass through their jurisdictions. The latest information gathered is that tourists will directly proceed to Baguio without stopover in any part of Benguet. They will have to undergo swab testing in Baguio. Then they will be allowed to purchase vegetables and other souvenir items along the way when they go back.
Sagada Mayor James Pooten told DOT Secretary Bernadette Puyat that Sagada will “wait and see” what will happen in Baguio before they will open tourism in Sagada. Even Secretary Puyat wanted to come to Sagada but the mayor said: “you can come but you have to undergo quarantine and testing”. Mayor Pooten has informed the good Secretary that the tourist sites in Sagada have improved and rejuvenated. Secretary Puyat was also optimistic for Cordillera tourism as she pushed to open farm tourism, mountain climbing, and trekking. She pushed for farm tourism. “We have to observe the presence of protocols such as physical distancing, wearing face masks, and always hand washing”, she said.
Mayor Pooten reminded the Secretary that there is a request from the municipal government for the provision of Molecular Test Laboratory for Covid. Secretary Puyat said she is amenable to the request and will refer the same to the Department of Health.
She was emphatic in the guidelines for the opening of tourism in all areas. She said that under Bayanihan 2 the requirements before any area is to be opened for tourism are the DOT Accreditation and the LGU’s consent.
Present in the zoom meeting were the governors of Benguet and Ifugao and the mayors of the LISTT areas.**Roger Sacyaten
