DAVAO CITY - The Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) will open for local tourists starting March 1 after the Inter-Agency Task Force For the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF-EID) granted the local government authority for tourism to operate.
IGACOS is part of Davao del Norte province which is currently under General Community Quarantine until February 28. Under the IATF's Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines, establishments in tourism industries are not allowed to operate.
However, in a phone interview, Information Officer Michael Anthony Homez said the local government received the reply of the IATF on February 19 allowing resorts to operate for tourism.
"We wrote the IATF in the second week of January to allow tourism to operate but it was denied. We wrote to them again and fortunately last week they replied," he said.
From December 18, 2020 until January 4, 2021, the city prohibited leisure and other tourism activities as it was placed under GCQ pursuant to Executive Order No. 269.
The said status was extended prompting the local government to write the IATF for permission to open their tourism industries.
"Nung in-extend kami ng January, knowing Samal is a tourist destination, yun talaga ang bread and butter ng Samal, second week of January sumulat kami sa IATF (When we were extended in January, knowing Samal is a tourist destination, that is really our bread and butter, we wrote the IATF in the second week of January)," Homez said.
Homez said they are still awaiting for the new Executive Order which will be released "within the day, or within the week."
He said accredited business establishments who have secured 2020 business permits will be allowed to operate starting March 1 until March 31.
He said they have extended the period for business establishments to secure business permits this year.
"April 1 kailangan may updated business permit na (On April 1, they should have an updated business permit)," Homez said.
Homez said tourists and resort operators should observe the minimum standard health protocols.
"Limited pa rin with the minimum health protocols like 50% capacity ng resort. Maga-apply pa rin yung turista ng QR code - No QR Code, No Entry (It will still be limited by the minimum health protocols like only 50% capacity of the resort is allowed to be utilized; tourists will have to apply for their QR Code because of the No QR Code, No Entry policy)," he said.
Homez added that the No Booking, No Entry policy will also be imposed.
Meanwhile, in a report by PTV Davao, IGACOS Mayor Al David Uy said while the operation of the resorts in the island is still limited, the local government will allow entry of tourists from outside Davao region.
"Kadtong sa mga outside Davao region, they will go through the antigen test, isa pud na sa giunsa pud sa IATF sa amoa. Anyway ang antigen test ang magconduct ana ang city unya libre na sya (Those who are coming from outside Davao region, they will go through the antigen test which is one of the conditions of the IATF. Anyway, the antigen test will be conducted for free by the city)," he said.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 23, Igacos has recorded two remaining active cases of COVID-19 and 140 Persons Under Monitoring (PUM). Igacos has recorded a total of 191 COVID-19 positive cases, 179 recoveries, and 10 deaths.