Holiday visitors: Sagada gets ready for traffic jams

PEAK CROWD Tourists wait for sunrise and the sea of clouds made famous by a Filipino movie at Kiltepan Viewpoint in Sagada, Mountain Province. The upland town has set a maximum number of people who will be allowed to visit the place and other tourist spots. —REM ZAMORA

BAGUIO CITY—“Carmageddon” has dawned on Sagada, and the popular tourist town in Mountain Province is bracing for more traffic jams during the holidays.

Almost 4,000 visitors suffered through traffic gridlock on Nov. 30, according to the upland municipality’s tourism information center.

The number could be higher, according to residents who reported that unregistered guides brought their own clients and some tourists refused to sign up at the town hall.

“Many houses [which were not equipped for homestay] were forced to open up because some visitors would end up sleeping in their cars,” said a local tour guide, who asked not to be named. Many guests slept on hotel floors, he added.

On Dec. 1, around 100 vans lined up the road leading to Kiltepan Viewpoint, he said.

Long lines of vehicles were also reported in other Sagada destinations, he added.

“Traffic was so bad during that long weekend that our relatives, who were scheduled to return home, just canceled their trips,” another guide said.

Rules for visitors

Following the deluge of visitors during the long weekend from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, the local government laid down rules, including a ban on disposable water bottles. Visitors were advised to bring refillable water tumblers.

It also set a maximum number of people allowed to visit tourist spots, such as Echo Valley, Sumaguing Cave, Marlboro Country and Blue Soil mountain, according to the municipal tourism office.

Tourism is the bread and butter of Sagada, with the treasury collecting P6.5 million in environmental fees last year, or more than half of the town’s income of P10 million.

But after its experience with “carmageddon,” Sagada now requires tourists to book tours with its tourism information office and pay a P50 registration fee for each guest.

TOURIST HAUNT Kaman-Utek Hills, also known as Blue Hills or Blue Mountain, is a popular tourist haunt in Sagada, Mountain Province. The upland municipality has imposed stricter guidelines for visitors during the holidays after suffering from “carmageddon” at the start of the month. —RICHARD BALONGLONG

Accredited tour guides

Visitors were also told to hire local guides from six accredited groups or they would be denied entry to the tour sites.

To manage traffic flow, the tourism office directed tourists to park their vehicles at designated hotel or pay parking areas and take local transportation to the sites.

“Tourists are obliged to walk around town to visit shops, restaurants and nearby tourist spots,” it said.

Aside from inns and hotels, houses that offer homestay services, which are registered with the local government and accredited by the Department of Tourism, will be allowed to serve guests.

A total of 115 inns and homestay facilities are registered with the Sagada Inns and Homestays Association, with a total bed capacity of 2,000.