Baguio City eases curfew hours to help businesses recover

NEW ABNORMAL. Life in Baguio has become more relaxed as restrictions on movement eased with the reopening of businesses, including tourism in October. But everyone needs to be masked and work or shop a meter apart from each other until a cure for the coronavirus becomes available to everyone. PHOTO BY EV ESPIRITU

MANILA, Philippines — Baguio City will adjust its curfew hours from the previous 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. to 12 midnight to 4 a.m. starting Friday, Mayor Benjamin Magalong said.

In an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo on Thursday, Magalong said the city government decided to further relax the curfew hours in the city to help business establishments recover from the adverse impacts of lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In-extend na rin namin ang aming curfew. Dati kasi 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. Ngayon, 12 midnight up to 4:00. Hinabaan namin para naman makarecover na ‘yung restaurants and business establishments,” Magalong said.

(We will extend our curfew. Before, it is from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. Now, it will be from 12 midnight until 4 a.m.)

Magalong also said Baguio City will also continue with its plan to open the city for tourists coming from the rest of Luzon, despite recent findings of the OCTA Research team classifying it as among the cities that are “high-risk” for COVID-19 infections due to an increased number of cases per day and critical care occupancy.

The City of Pines is set to open its borders to tourists from the rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, starting Friday, after initially welcoming tourists from the Ilocos Region on October 1.

“Bukas, October 23. Pati na rin ang curfew, effective tomorrow,”  Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said about the date for reopening the tourist spots in the summer capital.

According to Magalong, Baguio City is set to welcome 300 tourists from Luzon on Friday.

Magalong assured that the city government continues with its contact tracing and testing efforts despite opening up the tourism sector.

“There will always be surges once we open up our economy. There will always be surges, there will always be increases in the number of cases,” he said.

“Ang maganda naman doon is you learn how to manage it, you gain experience from it, at kami hindi kami nagpanic dito noong nakita ko na tumaas. Sabi ko ituloy lang natin ang ating programa,” he added.

(What is good about it is you learn how to manage it, you gain experience from it, and we did not panic when I saw there was an increase in cases. I said we should just continue our programs.)

Amid health concerns due to the pandemic, the Miss Universe Philippines also announced that it will film the preliminaries and grand finals of the pageant at the Baguio Country Club, available for streaming worldwide.

The national costume, swimsuit, and evening gown competitions are happening on October 23 while the grand finals will be on October 25.

EDV