DOT nixes tightening travel rules despite higher COVID-19 cases

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) has no plan to impose stricter travel restrictions despite the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco on Tuesday said the government would continue to “open up” the Philippines to travel and tourism as it moves forward from the pandemic, assuring the public that minimum health and safety standards are in place.

“Tapos na po ang pandemiya, sabi po ‘yan ng WHO (World Health Organization). While we continue to support the Department of Health’s measures as well as ensuring the health and safety of our fellow Filipinos, the direction of the Philippines is forward and that is to ensure that we continue to open up the country to travel and tourism,” she said in a Palace briefing.

(The pandemic is over. That’s what the WHO said.)

“Of course, all the minimum health and safety standards are in place and this is also made sure of as far as compliance with our DOT-accredited establishments,” Frasco added.

From May 8-14, the DOH reported 12,414 new COVID-19 cases, a 31% increase from the previous week, marking the highest weekly count in 29 weeks and the first time in 28 weeks that it surpassed 10,000.

For the second consecutive week, daily new cases averaged over 1,000.

The DOH earlier said that the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over, despite the World Health Organization (WHO) lifting the global state of public health emergency.

READ: Tourism’s road to recovery

je/abc