Pangasinan braces for ‘birth pains’ as tourism resumes

BOLINAO, Pangasinan, Philippines — When the province eased into modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), the basic set of restrictions during the health crisis, beach resorts in this coastal town began receiving inquiries from tourists.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat has allowed domestic tourism to resume in areas under MGCQ but with strict health protocols to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Last month, she issued the guidelines to hotels and resorts, including guest handling, housekeeping, sanitation and disinfection.

But Mary de Guzman, municipal tourism officer, said local resort owners were still reluctant to reopen, citing the threat of COVID-19 and lack of potential tourists. Reviving tourism activities may require “starting from scratch” as businesses may have lost their disposable incomes, she said.

Relaunching the businesses that depended on tourists and guests, she said, was like experiencing birth pains.

‘Will tourists come?’

“If we open, will the tourists come? Are they willing to spend, considering that they lost income during the three-month lockdown?” resort owners told De Guzman during a meeting on Friday.

Requiring tourists to present health certificates from their localities may also discourage them from visiting the town, including the seaside resorts, she said.

Located in western Pangasinan, Bolinao, which juts out into the West Philippine Sea, is endowed with natural resources like cream-sand beaches, waterfalls, caves and rivers.

It also boasts of historical and cultural landmarks, like the 115-year-old Cape Bolinao lighthouse and the 17th century St. James the Great Parish Church.

Built around these sites are 120 resorts, restaurants, homestays and other tourism-related establishments that have been thriving the past few years.In 2019 alone, 530,000 international and local tourists visited Bolinao, according to the municipal tourism office.

De Guzman said the town was preparing for the influx of tourists in March when President Duterte imposed the Luzon lockdown against COVID-19.

Crippled

The peak season for tourist arrivals is between March and May, but the ongoing community quarantine has crippled the domestic tourism sector during this period, she said.

According to her, reopening the resorts during the rainy season may not be a viable move. “In case of a miracle and tourists come during the rainy months, these resorts can accommodate only 50 percent of their capacity. Worse, they cannot take in those who are 60 years old and above, and 21 years old and below.”

Former Pangasinan Rep. Jesus Celeste, whose family owns El Pescador Resort here, said resort operations would resume in January next year.

“Resorts are family-oriented and they usually come in groups and different ages. With the two age groups not allowed to come, who will go to the resorts at this time?” he said.

Ronaldi Torres, president of the Bolinao Visitors Bureau and owner of Tummy Teasers Restaurant, and Ian McFeat Smith, another resort owner, said limiting the number of visitors to only 50 percent of their capacity would further drain the operators’ already empty financial resources.

They said the limited room accommodation would also cause them to reduce the number of their staff by half.