DOT pushes to open staycations, lifting of age restrictions for travelers

Tourism Sec. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat on Wednesday said she is pushing for the reopening of staycation establishments, as well as the lifting of age restrictions for travelers.

“That’s the next I will push for, staycation. Syempre (Of course) next would be no age restrictions,” Puyat said in an ABS-CBN News Channel interview.

“That’s (what) we’re always pushing for, and a lot of times, we were successful in pushing through for no age restrictions, and no COVID outbreak, ha, wala, I am very sure of that,” Puyat added.

Some tourism establishments like hotels and outdoor attractions will be allowed to operate starting on Thursday, once Metro Manila is placed under new classification Alert Level 4.

For now, only tourists age 18 to 65 years old are allowed to travel leisurely.

Previously, the Interagency Taskforce for the Management of Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) allowed leisure travel for those below 18 years old and above 65, especially if they have RT-PCR swab tests.

Puyat, however, said that the situation has changed due to the emergence of the Delta variant, which is said to be more transmissible, and has even worked around the immunity of children.

“So let’s test this out first, but I definitely will be pushing for that,” she said.

EDV