DOT reports 529 stranded tourists

There are 529 tourists stranded in different tourist spots in the country as of Friday, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT). The province with the most stranded tourists is Surigao del Norte with 264. Followed by Batanes with 179; Oriental Mindoro and Marinduque with 33; Maasin with 25; Mauban, Quezon, and Lobo, Batangas, with 16; and Boracay with 12. The DOT is currently working closely with different accommodation establishments to provide temporary shelter for the tourists. The agency said it is coordinating with different local governments’ disaster agencies to ensure immediate assistance to tourists in need. —JACOB LAZARO