The long white sand shoreline of Santa Fe in Bantayan island northern Cebu. CDN Digital photo | Brian J. Ochoa
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia welcomed the decision of the national government to further ease age limits in tourism enterprises.
Garcia, on Friday, November 20, 2020, said allowing minors below 15 years old and seniors age 65 years and above to enter tourism sites and establishments would help the industry’s recovery.
“We thank the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) for affirming our position,” said Garcia.
Read: Over 100 tourism enterprises resume business in Cebu province
“This will be a much needed boost to the country’s tourism industry and the economy,” she added.
The Malacañang on Friday has announced that the IATF-MEID has given a go-signal for tourism sites and establishments, in areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), to allow entry of minors below 15 years old and seniors age 65 years and above upon the determination of the LGUs (local government units) and guidelines to be issued by the Department of Tourism, the Department of Health, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
They also said the national government’s anti-coronavirus task force had removed the requirement for carriers to reserve isolation areas on their aircraft for ill passengers.
Read: Quincentennial celebrations for 2021 is a chance to boost Cebu’s tourism – Garcia
Cebu province, one of the country’s top tourist destinations for both local and international markets, has been placed under MGCQ since July.
Read: Inter-province tourism for Central Visayas pushed
Even if the tourism industry was allowed to reopen under MGCQ, the most relaxed form of community quarantine, age restrictions back then were put in place.
This is due to concerns that younger and older people will be more more vulnerable if they will get infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)./dbs