Baguio's Initial September Reopening is Moved to October 1, 2020 - Here's What You Need to Know!

After nearly six months in quarantine, Baguio City is set to reopen their borders to neighboring cities Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte on October 1, 2020, forming the first ‘travel bubble’ in the country. The summer capital of the Philippines was initially set to reopen last September 22, however this was later pushed back.

The Philippine News Agency confirmed the news after an advisory was posted on August 4th by the Baguio City Public Information Office Facebook page indicating plans of a gradual reopening. 

The ‘travel bubble’ agreement was signed by LGUs of Baguio City, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and La Union last Tuesday, September 1, 2020. While this agreement restricts travel just to and from these five destinations, we are hopeful that borders to Baguio and the Ilocos region would soon open up to the rest of the Philippines!

For those eligible to travel to Baguio City, do note that the Baguio City government has imposed some new processes and systems you need to know of before you go. 

As expected, the protocols for reopening borders for travel are pretty stringent. So if you’re from Baguio City or any of the four listed Ilocos provinces, the Baguio City Public Information Office’s Facebook page listed what travelers can expect:

1. Travelers will need to pre-register via the Baguio VIS.I.T.A (Baguio Visitor Information & Travel Assistance) app prior to their arrival. It is available in the App Store and Google Play. 

2. Tourists are required to pre-book their accommodation only in hotels that have obtained a CAO (Certificate Authorizing Operation) from the Department of Tourism and the local government. On the same note, staying with friends or relatives is strictly prohibited.

3. Tourists must also be assisted by an accredited tour operator or agency and declare their itinerary. This will allow for easier contact tracing and monitoring of tourist’s movements.

4. Travelers will undergo mandatory triage and PCR Testing upon arrival. Fees are to be shouldered by the tourists/travelers.

5. After the triage and testing, tourists are required to quarantine in the hotel for up to nine hours while waiting for the results. Those who test positive for COVID-19 will be handled by the hotel and the LGU. 

6. Hotels obtaining a CAO and accredited tour operators are required to monitor the customers’ movements closely. More details on protocols for tour operators and hotels listed here. 

In addition to this, The Public Information Office - City of Baguio also noted that they plan to control the number of tourists per day. For more information, you can read their Facebook advisory here. 

For further information on Baguio City’s reopening on October 21, 2020, check out Philippine News Agency’s article.