Foreign passengers who recently disembarked from a long haul flight originating at Dubai wear masks while entering the Immigration Area of MCIA T2 in February 2020. | CDN Digital Photo by Morexette Marie B. Erram
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines – Officials of Lapu-Lapu City Government has, once again, lobbied their proposal to allow entry of foreign tourists as part of its effort to revive its economy.
This time, in front of a Malacañang official.
Mayor Junard ‘Ahong’ Chan appealed to the National Inter-Agency Task Force on Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF), through Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, to reopen the city’s borders for foreign guests that have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Chan made the request on Tuesday, April 27, during the Laging Handa press briefing wherein Roque, and other key national government officials, attended the ceremonial reenactment of the 500th anniversary of the Kadaugan sa Mactan.
Roque, in response, told the city government to submit a formal letter of request to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who sits as IATF’s chairperson.
“Ipararating po natin yan sa IATF. Kaya nga po humingi ako ng liham kay mayor addressed to Secretary Duque, our chairman of the IATF,” said Roque.
(We will forward that to the IATF and with it, we will be asking for a letter addressed to Secretary Duque, our chairman of the IATF.)
Roque also stressed that the IATF, as a collegial body, has the authority to decide on the fate of Chan’s request.
The Malacañang spokesperson, on the other hand, said the proposal made by Lapu-Lapu City’s officials seemed ‘workable.’
“Dahil mukha namang workable dahil ang Lapu-Lapu City has its own airport. Pwede naman magkaroon ng bubble provided yung mga turista ay meron nang bakuna at meron ding PCR Test,” Roque explained.
(It seemed workable since Lapu-Lapu City has its own airport. Maybe it could have its own bubble provided the foreign tourists have been vaccinated and underwent recent PCR-test.)
“Kailangan lang siguro ang controls para yung ingress and egress from Lapu-Lapu could be controlled,” he added.
(But it must also have regulations so the ingress and egress from Lapu-Lapu could be controlled.)
Aside from being fully vaccinated, Chan’s proposal also stated that incoming foreign tourists must present recent swab test results, indicating they tested negative of COVID-19.
Lapu-Lapu City is part of Mactan Island and is home to the country’s second busiest airport – the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA).
/bmjo
RELATED STORIES
Mayor Chan to ask IATF to allow entry of foreign tourists
Region 7 lost opportunity to earn over US$700M from foreign tourist arrivals