Negative COVID-19 test, no side trips: Ilocos Sur tourists reminded to adhere to guidelines

MANILA, Philippines — Domestic tourists will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test result and an itinerary for their trip before they would be allowed entry to Ilocos Sur, its governor said Monday.

“We will be accepting tourists starting November 15. Ang hinihingi ko lang po ay sundin ang guidelines,” Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Singson said during the Laging Handa briefing.

“Di po ganun kadaling pumasok. We want to keep Ilocos Sur COVID-free,” he added.

He said the province will open its doors for tourists coming from the National Capital Region (NCR) and the rest of Luzon.

“Mahirap po na desisyon po ito dahil kinailangan po nating ibalanse ang safety ng aming mga kababayan pero siyempre kailangan na rin po naming magbukas ng ekonomiya dahil marami na hong nawalan ng trabaho madami na rin pong nagsarang negosyo dito,” Singson said.

“Ang tourism po ang nagda-drive po ng ekonomiya, nag-decide na rin po namin na buksan para matulungan ng mga nawalan ng trabaho at negosyo,” he added.

Singson said tourists will not be allowed to deviate from their itinerary.

“Yung itinerary po ang susundin natin. Hindi po pwedeng mag-side trip o biglaang pumasok po dito, kailangan naka-book na kayo at makipag-coordinate po sa [local government unit],” he said.

Ilocos Sur first welcomed back tourists through a travel corridor linking the province with Baguio City, La Union, Pangasinan, and Ilocos Norte.

To prevent the transmission of the coronavirus, the local governments in the said provinces only allowed a limited number of tourists in their jurisdictions.

Some of the tourist destinations in Ilocos Sur are the Vigan Heritage Village and Calle Crisologo, Plaza Salcedo Dancing Fountain, Bantay Bell Tower, Santa Maria Church, and Plaza Burgos.

JE