Baguio officials are not ruling out the possibility of easing border protocols by the time summer is officially declared, but this has yet to be lengthily discussed.
Executive Assistant IV Althea Alberto said Covid-19 cases may have been decreasing but there might be cases that are not being reported as some self-diagnose and isolate at home.
“Reported cases could be an aberration,” Alberto said.
Several sectors have suggested for the city government to ease border requirements as cases started declining and more people have been vaccinated against the SARS-CoV2. But Alberto said city officials are now considering the number of people who got their booster shots, not just those who received the full dose of vaccines.
“Mataas na ang vaccination rate pero ‘yung boosted na ang tinitingnan natin ngayon. Kapag mataas na ang boosted sa NCR, Baguio, at Region 1, then we might decrease the requirements when coming to Baguio,” Alberto said.
Those in the National Capital Region and Region 1 are usually the ones who come up to Baguio either for leisure or official business transactions.
She also reminded the Philippines is under a state of national health emergency until September, which means health protocols to slow down the spread of the SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes the Covid-19 are still in place.
Baguio is currently under alert level 2. The liquor ban and curfew have been lifted and establishments issued with safety seal certificate are now allowed to accommodate more people, including minors.
Face-to-face classes are also set to resume next month once with endorsement of the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education, and approval of the city government.
Leisure travelers, returning residents, and authorized persons outside residents are still required to register at visita.baguio.gov.ph or hdf.baguio.gov.ph. where requirements for entry such as vaccination card, antigen or RT-PCR test result if partially vaccinated or unvaccinated must be uploaded before the issuance of a QR-coded travel pass. – Rimaliza A. Opiña
April 20, 2024
