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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOT to 'yield' Holy week goals after GCQ bubble announcement

DOT to 'yield' Holy week goals after GCQ bubble announcement

Published Mar 22, 2021 09:34 am

The Department of Tourism (DOT) said Monday, March 22 that it would "yield" its goals for tourism, at least in the short term, in hopes of helping safeguard the public’s health.

(MANILA BULLETIN)

The DOT made this pronouncement a day after Malacañang placed the National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal in a general community quarantine (GCQ) "bubble" designed to restrict the travel of people going in and out of the bubble. This is meant to halt the current surge in active coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.

"The Holy Week has always been a strategic opportunity for growth in the tourism sector. However, given the recent surge in COVID cases, our goals for the sector will have to yield to public health concern," the DOT said in a statement.

"This will hopefully pave the way to a safer and more resilient resumption of tourism activities in the future," it added.

Holy Week will run from March 29 to April 4. Traditionally, Filipinos clump up Holy Week with their summer vacation itinerary.

But the GCQ bubble, which will last March 22 up to April 4, limits vacation options a great deal for those coming inside it.

"With this, we would also like to express our gratitude to the hotel industry and airlines for allowing their clients to rebook without penalties as they support the goals of this administration for a healthy and safe tourism industry," the Tourism department added.

It was only last March 6 when DOT Sec. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat began to sell to lockdown-weary Filipinos the idea of having a summer vacation again. Of course, with due observance of minimum health and safety standards in the "new normal".

“There is no stopping summer. Marami nang tourist destinations ang nagbukas ngayon — nagbukas na ang Boracay, Puerto Princesa — marami nang pwedeng puntahan ngayon...Ito na ang pagkakataon na ang buong pamilya ay magkasama-sama at ma-enjoy nila nag napakagagandang beaches sa Pilipinas (There are so many tourist destinations that reopened like Boracay, Puerto Princesa — there are many sites to visit now...This is the opportunity for the whole family to get together and enjoy the beautiful beaches in the Philippines),” Puyat said.

COVID-19 cases in the country, especially in the NCR or Metro Manila, began to spike at around that time.

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