25/09/2020
Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc announced on Tuesday, September 15, that Ilocos Norte would soon reopen its borders to cater Metro Manila tourists once the pandemic situation gets better.
“By October, we plan to start welcoming tourists from Manila because I feel there are a lot from Manila who want to go to the beach and want to escape. We would like to welcome them as long as they submit themselves to RT-PCR test and pre-arranged their trip,” Marcos said during an online press briefing.
According to him, Metro Manila contains a large market for tourism and there may be residents who have been itching to travel in the province of Ilocos Norte.
He then clarified that the initial reopening of the North Luzon corridor will begin in Baguio on September 21.
“We will not be admitting tourists immediately. We can go visit Baguio starting Sept. 21 but Baguio (residents) cannot visit us yet. It starts from there and it will be a learning process on how best we can open up to tourists,” the governor said.
However, they will impose strict guidelines for tourists who would like to visit their borders.
Earlier, Provincial tourism officer Aianree Raquel announced that visitors will have to pre-register through a web-based tourist registration system stayin.ilocosnorte.ph.
Moreover, tourists will have to comply with several health measures and quarantine protocols given by the local government of Ilocos Norte.
Before entering the province, tourists must present a travel authority, medical certificate, health declaration form, and a negative result of a rapid antigen test within 48 hours before arriving at the checkpoint of the province.
📷 Alaric Yanos
