The "Walled City" of Intramuros will open its doors to local tourists again starting Wednesday, Feb. 17, but with strict protocols and restrictions in place to ensure the safety of visitors.
"We are pleased to announce that we are finally reopening three of our sites starting tomorrow. Please follow the proper health and safety protocols," the Intramuros Administration (IA) announced on Tuesday, Feb. 16.
The sites to be opened are Fort Santiago, which will be open daily from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Casa Manila Museum, which will operate from Tuesday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Baluarte de San Diego, which will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tourists are also encouraged to utilize cashless transactions through Beep cards or PayMaya instead of cash when paying the entrance fee of P75 for adults and P50 for students and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
To ensure that physical distancing will be followed, a maximum capacity of 100 people will be enforced in Fort Santiago and Baluarte de San Diego, while 15 visitors will be the limit for Casa Manila Museum.
Only tourists aged 15 to 65 years old will be allowed to visit the spots, the IA noted.
The administration also advised tourists to create a StaySafe.PH account for contact-tracing purposes before visiting Manila's local tourist hotspot as the unique QR code obtained through the app will be used upon entering sites or establishments in Intramuros.
Visitors were also reminded to strictly follow health and safety guidelines such as the mandatory wearing of face masks, maintaining the one-meter distancing rule, undergoing temperature checks and sanitation protocols, and observing proper hand hygiene, among others.