Bohol eyes Panglao reopening by November

In this June 11, 2020 photo, a man is seen relaxing in a hammock at an almost empty Alona Beach in Panglao Island, Bohol. Tourist visits had been suspended since the pandemic. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / LEO UDTOHAN

MANILA, Philippines — Bohol is looking at reopening its famous resort island of Panglao by November, Governor Arthur Yap said Thursday.

In a televised briefing, Yap said Bohol is eyeing to open a travel bubble in Panglao to closely monitor local tourists who will visit the island.

“What we’re going to do is open up Panglao first, possibly by November and mag-aaccredit tayo ng mga establishments doon. So we will open a bubble within a bubble,” Yap said.

(What we’re going to do is open up Panglao first, possibly by November and we will accredit establishments there. So we will open a bubble within a bubble.)

A travel bubble or travel corridor is a zone between territories that already demonstrated the capacity to control the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat earlier explained.

Yap said tourists interested in going to Panglao Island should first register at their website to get a quick response (QR) code.

“With that QR code, you can now book your ticket. Pagdating mo dito, susunduin kayo, dadalhin kayo sa accredited hotel,” he explained.

(With that QR code, you can now book your ticket. When you arrive here, you will be fetched and brought to your accredited hotel.)

Tourists must also have a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test 48 hours before going  to the island, Yap noted.

“Sa hotel, kung saan ka kakain, yung bibisitahin mo, lahat yun naka-plan. Wala pong do-it-yourself ngayon. Curated lahat at hinahanda ng mga tour operators para sa mga bisita,” he further said.

(Your hotel, where you will eat, the places you will visit, all of that is already planned. There is no do-it-yourself right now. Everything will be curated and the tour operators will ready everything for visitors.)

Yap also said the local government is targeting group tourists to come to Panglao, saying they will be easier to monitor in terms of following health standards.

“Ang pinagiisipan namin, bubuksan lang namin ang Bohol sa events lang. Sa mga team-building, sa mga family reunions this coming Christmas, sa mga kasal. Destination packages ang gusto namin i-promote ngayon dahil sa tingin namin, mas mabilis i-manage,” he said.

(We are thinking of opening Bohol to events like team-building, family reunions, and weddings. Destination packages are what we want to promote because we think that it will be easier to manage.)

As quarantine restrictions eased in the country, tourist spots like Boracay and Baguio City have reopened their doors to tourists provided they follow strict health protocols.

/MUF