Tourists from Central Luzon, Ilocos allowed in Aurora town

The Dingalan lighthouse in Aurora province offers a scenic view of mountains and the sea. The coastal town is now accepting tourists from Central Luzon and Ilocos regions. (Photo courtesy of the Dingalan municipal tourism office)

MABALACAT CITY—Over 1,300 tourists from Central Luzon and the Ilocos regions have visited the coastal town of Dingalan in Aurora province from June 23 to July 2, an official said.

Dingalan has opened its doors to tourists from the two regions since June 23 after Mayor Shierwin Taay issued an executive order allowing leisure trips to the town, which has the least restrictive modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) along with the rest of Aurora.

Tourists from Central Luzon and Ilocos areas that are also on MGCQ were no longer required to present negative results of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), rapid or antigen tests, according to the town’s tourism office.

They would only be asked to show valid identification cards and pre-registration with the tourism office at the checkpoints on the town’s border.

But a pre-booking confirmation from accredited tourism establishments or travel agencies in Dingalan would be required from the visitors.

For those coming from Central Luzon and Ilocos areas that are under a general community quarantine or stricter forms of community quarantines, tourists would still need to show negative results of the RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours before entering the town.

Individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from GCQ and modified enhanced community quarantine areas were also asked to bring their vaccination cards.

Mary Divina Francisco, Auroras tourism officer, told the Inquirer that 1,337 leisure travelers from these two regions visited the town from June 23 to July 2.

Strictly monitored

The resorts’ compliance with health protocols would be strictly monitored, said Abdulrahman Salih, an administrative aide of the Dingalan tourism office.

He said guests would be given health kits that include hand sanitizer, soaps, and face masks.

Resorts and similar tourism-related establishments have also allotted isolation rooms for guests who would have a fever, Salih said.

“Rooms are also sanitized before check-in and right after the guests leave,” he said.

Salih said Dingalan had to accept leisure travelers because its economy depends on tourism.

Dingalan is also isolated from the rest of Aurora and could be reached only through Nueva Ecija province. The closest Aurora town, San Luis, is separated by mountains.

Aurora has 1,954 COVID-19 cases since last year. At least 77 of these remained active, while 1,809 had recovered.

The province’s death toll has reached 68, local health data showed.

Dingalan has a total of 192 COVID-19 cases. At least 186 of them had recovered, while five had died.

LZB