HAVE A SAFE TRIP

Boracay has reopened to domestic travel since the start of this month. Staying home is still the best way to protect oneself and others from Covid-19, but the reopening of one of the top destinations in the Philippines is a signal that maybe we can now start taking calculated risks. The economy that should sustain us, after all, needs as much protection from the pandemic as we do.

- AA PATAWARAN

While stressing that safety is top priority, Berna Romulo Puyat, secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT), says, “We cannot surrender to this pandemic. We have to find ways to live and thrive in it while protecting ourselves and other people.”

We might say that reopening Boracay has been a bold move, but the DOT, along with the other key agencies, particularly the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), has studied the move thoroughly. “Boracay has been open to Western Visayas since June 16 and, so far, it has remained Covidfree,” says Berna. “We have been studying what works and what can be done better, and have also applied our learnings from the best practices of other destinations in terms of reopening.”

Since the island paradise, one of the most renowned of the country’s many islands, opened itself up again on Oct. 1 to domestic tourists after many months in lockdown, it has represented the revival of the tourism industry and its relentless efforts to restore the jobs and livelihoods lost due to the pandemic. “It also stands for our resiliency to adapt and innovate to make travel possible — and safe — even in these times,” adds Berna.

Here are excerpts from our conversation with the tourism chief about the restoration of tourism in the country: