12/03/2021
Per IATF Omnibus Guidelines, only hotels or accommodation establishments with valid DOT Accreditation shall be allowed to accommodate guests and clients for legitimate purposes under a state of public health emergency. The operations of such hotels and accommodation establishments as well as ancillary establishments within their premises such as restaurants, cafes, gyms, spas, function halls, and the like, shall be subject to guidelines issued by the DOT and the IATF.
Upon verification, AMANZARA RESORT has not been issued an accreditation from the DOT. Attached herewith, the letter from DOT- Region 7, Regional Director Shahlimar Hofer Tamano, stating that the said resort is not a DOT-Accredited entity, likewise, has no application online as of date.
Thus, Gov. Art Yap, by virtue of the authority vested upon him as Governor of the Province of Bohol and the Chairman of the Bohol Inter-agency Task Force for Emerging Diseases, pursuant to Section 29 in relation to Sec. 465 (b) of RA 7160, DILG Memorandum Circular nos. 2020-062 (Section 5. 1.9) and 2020-023 (Section 5.2.3.1.5), hereby enjoined LGU-Panglao through Mayor Leonila Montero to order the said Resort to Cease and Desist from conducting the Foam Party Fashion Show immediately upon receipt hereof to avoid the recurrence of reported violations of the minimum health and safety protocols for the prevention of the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus disease COVID-19.
The imposition of these laws and policies does not interfere with any local affair of the LGU in accordance with the authority under the Local Government Code. Article II, Section 5 of the 1987 Constitution states, “The maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty and property and the promotion of the general welfare are essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy”. COVID-19 infection is but everyone’s concern, that is why, it is precisely called a Public Health Emergency and not any locality’s health emergency. Furthermore, preventing the spread of the virus is way better than simply catching the Resort or the attendees’ health protocol violation en flagrante.
The Provincial Government of Bohol understands the need to jumpstart the tourism economy, we are your partner on this cause but only in a proper and decent manner; let alone can we tolerate violations of the law and ordinance under any circumstance.