The city government has required additional guidelines for individuals and groups travelling to Baguio, following the spiraling of Covid-19 cases in the city.
In an advisory issued by Mayor Benjamin Magalong which took effect Oct. 3, government officials and government frontline personnel who are not assigned within Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay are required to present negative results of RT-PCR tests conducted three days before their entry to the city. As an alternative, they may submit themselves for testing at the city’s central triage and testing center.
This requirement is also imposed on individuals authorized to conduct humanitarian works in the city and those coming in for humanitarian and medical reasons.
The same is required for persons with indispensable or work-related, one-time transactions in the city or those whose travels do not require regular or frequent entry to Baguio.
Repatriated overseas Filipino workers and returning OFWs will still follow the procedures set by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Department of Tourism.
The entry of tourists from Region 1 will be governed by the Ridge to Reef Tourism Corridor, the details of which are incorporated in their registration through the Visitors Information and Travel Assistance online system.
Returning Baguio residents, workers outside Baguio who are returning for the first time since the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in March, and students who are not residents of the city may choose to undergo a 14-day quarantine with the supervision of their respective barangays as alternative to the RT-PCR or antigen testing.
Those with indispensable or work-related regular travels to the city and holders of Covid Shield Travel Authority with the attached inter-region work clearance certificate or official travel orders issued by their respective offices are required to submit themselves to RT-PCR or antigen testing once a month.
Travelers are also reminded that registration of health declaration forms through hdf.baguio.gov.ph are still required, except local tourists who must register their documents and itineraries at visita.baguio.gov.ph.
Magalong has issued the additional guidelines to mitigate and contain further outbreak of Covid-19 cases and to allow law enforcement and medical frontliners to regroup their workforce as the city government sets its plans for the coming months.
The guidelines will remain for as long as public health and safety requires and subject to further issuances and memoranda laid down by the national Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and the local Covid IATF. – Jane B. Cadalig
