LT tourism stakeholders train on safety, health rules

Stakeholders in tourism-related industries in La Trinidad, Benguet underwent a two-day training on the updated health and safety protocols last July 13 to 14.
Participants from eco-tourism establishments, tour guides, travel and tours, and restaurants were briefed on the updates on the use of the StaySafe.Ph mobile application and the safety seal certification program.
The safety seal certification is a voluntary certification scheme that affirms that an establishment is compliant with minimum public health standards set by the government and uses or integrates its contact tracing with StaySafe.ph.
Jude Yonzon of the Municipal Tourism Office said the safety training funded by the Department of Tourism-Cordillera aims to prepare the establishments when tourism would fully opens.
At present, tourism sites are only open to residents.
Municipal Licensing Officer Lawrence Balud said there are no establishments yet in the town that were given a safety seal, as he claimed that lack of an isolation area for symptomatic individuals is the primary concern faced by the establishments in fulfilling the requirements for the certification.
Vice Mayor Roderick Awingan, meanwhile, reported that the Tourism Code of the municipality was already approved.
He said the Tourism Code has incorporated protocols under the new normal.
“Everyone is eager to go out, so we should prepare on what to do in this new normal,” Awingan said.
Key government agencies released Joint Memorandum Circular 21-01 s. 2021, which outlines the implementing guidelines for the Safety Seal Certification Program.
Under the program, the Department of Tourism is tasked to ensure that DOT-accredited enterprises are compliant with health protocols, and have adopted or integrated the StaySafe.ph in contact tracing.
These tourism enterprises include hotels, resorts, and other accommodation establishments; travel and tour services; meetings, incentives, conferences and events, and venues/facilities and restaurants inside hotels or resorts. – Ofelia C. Empian