DOT says foreign business travelers maybe permitted to enter Philippines during MGCQ

An official of the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Sunday that business travelers from other countries may be allowed to enter Philippines once quarantine restrictions have been lowered to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

In an interview, Tourism Undersecretary Bong Bengzon said that it is the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has the final decision on whether to allow foreign business travelers to enter the country.

“[Pero] pagdating ng modified GCQ, pwede nang payagan, basta siyempre the assumption is meron na ring pahintulot galing sa ating mga health authorities na papasukin itong mga dayuhang ito,” (Once it's already modified GCQ, it may already be allowed, but ofcourse the assumption is that our health authorities permitted these foreigners to enter.) Bengzon said.

Bengzon added that it is still important that protocols are followed when foreigners arrive at the international gateways.

A week ago, President Rodrigo Duterte encourage the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to reorganize its COVID-19 response plan while taking consideration the lessons learned from the experiences fighting this pandemic.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said 

there were proposals to open ASEAN for business travelers subject to health protocols.

Bengzon said the Department of Tourism (DOT) also considers business travelers from other countries as tourists, following the definition of the World Tourism Organization.

Photo Credit: iorbitnews.com

“Kapag pumasok 'yan dito, siyempre makikinabang ang ating mga tourism establishments na talaga namang kailangan nating tulungan dahil karamihan sa kanila ay nawalan ng negosyo nitong nakaraang tatlong buwan,” (If tourists are allowed, many of our tourism establishments will benefit from it, which they badly need because most of them lost their business in the past three months.) he said.

Bengzon admitted that allowing the entry of business travelers from other countries will be a big help for the country’s tourism industry, although he said that domestic tourism also contributes a lot in terms of overall revenue.

He added that our tourism activities already started to return, also some of the businesses. But, like what Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat says, our recovery should be gradual and steady. We should not return from what we started. It is a responsibility for all the tourists, and the tourism enterprises. They should follow our health and safety protocols to help health authorities to contain the situation.

Philippine tourism suffered because of Covid 19, many businesses were forced to stop its operation and many lost their jobs. No one wants this pandemic to happen, our government tried its best to contain the virus. Our economy losses billions and trillions and continues untill now, that is why our government is thinking of reopening our tourism industry. Many netizens can't agree with the governments decision, but if it will continue this way our government might not recover from our losses. We just all hope and pray that this pandemic to end, and for it to end, it need's everyone cooperation and understanding.