DOT allows family room sharing in COVID-19 quarantine hotels

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat in an interview with INQUIRER.net. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Thursday reminded COVID-19 quarantine hotels to allow room sharing for individuals belonging to the same household if they will undergo mandatory isolation.

Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat made the clarification following reports that some DOT-accredited quarantine hotels are implementing a one-room-one-person policy “even for travelers coming from the same household.”

“We all share the same struggles but it is imperative that we implement the right policies to help our kababayans who want to return to the country,” Puyat said in a statement.

Under DOT guidelines, single occupancy is required for quarantine guests coming from different households.

However, DOT encourages room-sharing for quarantine guests belonging to the same household and guests requiring a companion, such as minors, persons with disabilities, or senior citizens.

This is in line with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF) policy that allows certain individuals under mandatory quarantine to stay in the same room, according to the DOT.

“If we want to fast-track the recovery of the industry, tourism stakeholders should also help the Department in properly implementing such measures,” Puyat said.

/MUF