Capitol allows more tourism activities to reopen

Tour guides in blue T-shirts assist tourists in going down the Aguinid Waterfalls in Samboan in southern Cebu in this 2015 photo. CDN FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu Provincial Government has allowed the resumption of more tourism activities, the governor confirmed in a recent press conference.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on Monday, April 19, 2021, told reporters that the province has permitted swimming and sightseeing activities in waterfalls.

Through Executive Order No. 13 issued on February 9, 2021, the province also gave the go signal for paragliding, farm tourism, theme parks, and river cruises to resume their operations.

All these activities, however, are still subject to prevailing health protocols.

These included placing a cap on the number of tourists allowed per day, and ensuring that physical distancing markers are present throughout the property.

Cebu province reopened its tourism industry last July 2020, when it was finally downgraded to Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

But at that time, only selected tourism activities were reopened. Swimming in waterfalls then was still prohibited.

Garcia has been vocal in her plans to revive the province’s economy by allowing tourism players to resume their operations.

The governor also recently scrapped swab test results as a requirement upon entry for inbound tourists.

Instead, visitors from outside Cebu island will only need to present a medical certificate as proof that they are in good condition to travel, confirmation of their pre-booked accommodations, and pass symptoms screening and checking at airports and seaports.

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/bmjo