Baguio remains closed to tourists

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines  – Reacting to reports that some tour agencies are now accepting reservations, Mayor Benjamin Magalong clarified yesterday that the city remains closed to tourists.

“The coronavirus disease 2019 still hovers. While quarantine measures are still in effect, anyone caught violating local government restrictions shall be dealt with accordingly,” Magalong said.

He cited Section 6 (a) of Republic Act 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, which penalizes quarantine violators with two months imprisonment and a fine of up to P1 million or both.

Magalong said Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code also punishes resistance or disobedience to persons in authority with up to six months imprisonment and a fine not exceeding P100,000.

There are now four active cases in the city after a 58-year-old male from Barangay Bakakeng Norte and a 22-year-old female from Loakan Liwanag tested positive for the virus yesterday.

Meanwhile, movie and television director Joyce Bernal was prevented from taking video footage of the local scenery again, this time in Tublay town in Benguet, to serve as backdrop of President Duterte’s State of the Nation Address.

“We denied the request of Bernal and her team taking into account lockdown protocols on these tourist spots,” Tublay Mayor Armando Lauro said.

Bernal’s group was also prohibited from taking video footage of the local scenery in Sagada, Mountain Province and Banaue last week in keeping with the quarantine protocols.