THE City Government of Mati in Davao Oriental reopened some of its tourism-related establishments as operations for accommodation purposes are now authorized.
After almost three months of closure, Dahican Beach and other attractions in the city are now open to the public but health and safety measures are being strictly observed in compliance with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) guidelines.
In a statement released on Thursday, June 11, the City Government of Mati said the Department of Tourism (DOT) through the Mati City Tourism Office has released some 30 certificates to operate for resorts and hotels operating within the city.
Mati Tourism Officer Dashiel Indelible Jr. told SunStar Davao in a text message that as of Thursday, 13 resorts and 11 hotels have secured a certificate to operate while eight are still pending application.
"These establishments would not open simultaneously as some establishments are still complying with the implementation of the minimum health and safety requirements mandated by the DOT and IATF-EID," he said.
Indelible added that this is only half of the 66 licensed hotels, resorts, and restaurants registered in the city.
Known for its tourist attractions, Mati has been greatly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic as borders were closed to tourists and visitors for the past months.
"The tourism industry is the most affected sector leading to an estimated loss of P114.4 million for the months of March, April, and May," a part of the city's press release read.
Before the pandemic, Mati had an average tourist arrival of 25,438 per month. With estimated expenditures per tourist per day of P1,500, the tourism industry's income here can reach P38 million per month.
This excludes the negative effect of the cancellation of the Pujada Bay Festival and the Cityhood Day activities this month.
One of the resorts that suffered a setback is Dahican Surf Resort (DSR). In a separate interview, owner Gabby Sibala shared that their losses doubled since the lockdown fell during summertime, a peak season for the tourism industry.
"To be honest, it was a bitter pill to swallow because we were preparing for the influx of tourists during summertime. A lot of projects like renovations and enhancements entailed a big amount of money. But we were also aware that we had to help our government flatten the curve," he said.
DOT-Davao Director Tanya Rabat-Tan clarified in a Philippine News Agency-led One Davao virtual presser on Thursday, June 11, that allowed tourism establishments are only told to cater to the local market for now as leisure travel is still not advised under General Community Quarantine and Modified General Community Quarantine.
"We strictly advised them to follow the guidelines governing the operations of establishments under the new normal," she said.
This was confirmed by Sibala, saying the guidelines given to them "covered every aspect of making the resort safe for both guests and workers."
"We had several seminars with the workers to train them accordingly. If other establishments will just follow the DOT'S guidelines, I think the risk of spreading the disease will be minimized," he added.
Tan admitted that imposing health and safety standards to establishments can be an additional cost to operators.
"But eventually, we will get used to it and this is the reality of how we are going to handle things until a vaccine is available. Moving forward, there is no way to go but to adapt to the new normal, the sooner we adapt, the better," Tan said.
Meanwhile, Sibala said some of his employees were hesitant to go back to work due to Covid-19 threats but he explained that the resort's main priority is their safety. He had some 30 employees before the pandemic.
The City of Mati also maintained that all residents who plan to visit Mati City should expect strict health screening in provincial and city borders before entering for the safety and security of the community. (With Reports from Mati CIO)