MANILA, Philippines — The management of Intramuros in Manila said it is ready to reopen selected sites of the tourist attraction this Wednesday as it ensures a “safe experience” for its visitors.
In a press conference, Guiller Asido, head of Intramuros administration, announced that the administration will “constantly remind” Intramuros visitors of health rules to suppress the spread of the virus.
“In terms of best practices, we ensure that we will properly implement health guidelines in different areas in Intramuros. Constant reminders in the public that they observe proper social distancing, wearing masks and face shields to ensure safe experience inside,” said Asido.
He said visitors are required to have their own quick response (QR) code downloaded from StaySafe.PH, the nation’s official contact tracing app.
“Regarding their own QR code we are following the IATF [Inter Agency Task Force] resolution, which we use StaySafe. With the use of Stay Safe, you will be required to have your own QR code already so that’s installed in all of the sites open in Intramuros,” Asido added.
Intramuros administration earlier announced that Baluarte San Diego and Casa Manila Museum would be open to the public this Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Fort Santiago will be open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Meanwhile, starting Feb. 18, the Baluarte San Diego and Casa Manila Museum would be open during its regular operating hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fort Santiago will be open from 12 noon to 8 p.m.
Intramuros management, however, said Dungeons, Museo ni Rizal, Asean Gardens and its other sites are not yet open “until further notice.”
Only people aged 15 – 65 years old are allowed to enter the Intramuros sites.
In 2019, 3.2 million visitors entered the Intramuros, which was hailed as the world’s top tourist attraction in 2020.
Asido said he expects fewer visitors this year because of the pandemic but underscored that visitors must have “safe experience” in Intramuros.
“In 2019, there are 3.2 million visitors that visited intramuros. Of course, we are not expecting that same number again, what we are trying to ensure is the safe experience of the people visiting Intramuros,” said Asido.