Historical sites and museums in areas under the National Capital Region (NCR)-plus bubble will soon reopen their doors to visitors on a limited capacity, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.
This, after the government's pandemic task force approved the resumption of operations of these tourism sites provided that a maximum capacity of 20 percent of the venue will be enforced, along with the other health and safety requirements of the DOT and the concerned local government units (LGUs).
However, guided tours will still be prohibited.
"Our historical sites and museums in the NCR-plus area may welcome visitors following the easing of quarantine restrictions. This is part of our efforts to restart tourism and leisure activities in a safe and steady manner, and to help bring back employment," Tourism Secretary Bernadette-Romulo Puyat said on Friday, June 11.
"Visitors are still urged to follow the minimum health and safety standards set for historical sites and museums to prevent a possible COVID-19 outbreak," she emphasized.
The tourism chief tagged this latest development as "very timely" as it coincides with the country's observance of Independence Day.
"The historical sites and museums remind us of our rich culture and history and of the heroism of those who fought for our freedom,’’ Puyat said. "Revisiting our past brings us closer together as a people and draws us closer to a future free of the perils and uncertainty brought about by the pandemic," she added.
The approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases covers historical sites and museums in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna—collectively known as the NCR-plus—which is currently under a general community quarantine (GCQ) "with heightened restrictions".
Museums and historical sites in other areas under GCQ and modified GCQ (MGCQ) are already allowed to operate.
Last month, the government’s COVID-19 task force allowed the operation of outdoor tourist attractions, also on a limited capacity.