‘Staycations’ now allowed in GCQ areas, says DOT

MANILA, Philippines — The government has now allowed “staycations” in hotels located in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ), the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Friday.

This was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases in a bid to “explore various ways in restarting tourism activities during quarantine,” DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat told the Inquirer in a text message.

“A staycation shall involve a minimum overnight stay for leisure purposes in a DOT-accredited Accommodation Enterprise located in proximity with one’s residence,” Puyat explained.

“For instance, residents of the NCR [National Capital Region] can staycation within NCR subject to the requirements of the Local Government Unit (LGU),” she added.

Puyat said DOT will soon release a memorandum circular on staycations for areas under GCQ.

The memorandum circular, Puyat said, should include “specific regulations on all aspects involved in this activity ranging from the maximum allowable number of persons in a guestroom to use ancillary services such as restaurants and recreational areas.”

The IATF has also expanded the allowed guests in hotels to include “markets of specialized programs.”

Puyat said this focuses on “specific target markets that can safely contribute to the efforts of restarting economic activities through tourism.”

Metro Manila, Bulacan, Batangas, and Tacloban City are under GCQ until September 30 while the rest of the country is under the most lenient lockdown or modified GCQ.

Only Bacolod City, Lanao del Sur, and Iligan City are under a stricter lockdown or modified enhanced community quarantine.

KGA