BENGUET Governor Melchor Diclas said the resumption of tourism in the province relies on the mayors of its 13 towns.
Diclas recently encouraged local government units (LGUs) in the province to open their tourist spots for residents only.
"It will still depend on the LGUs because they are the ones who will monitor," he said.
During the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force (PIATF) for Covid-19 meeting, Diclas announced that the Provincial Tourism Office, together with the municipal tourism officers, will again convene to polish guidelines of the province.
Diclas cited during the meeting with Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat last month the opening of Benguet's tourism sites.
He supported the suggestion of Puyat to open tourist areas one at a time and that there must be tourist guides to monitor and maintain health protocols.
Diclas said there should also be online registration or pre-registration of tourists, adding that they asked the help of the tourism department for the software they can use for the registration.
Diclas said he told Puyat that tourism is not the main livelihood of the people of Benguet.
"Other municipalities are not very aggressive in tourism as it is not the main livelihood of our kakailyan (people)," he said, citing Benguet's main source of income are agriculture and mining.
"Let's not get excited now to open tourism... It is not plain and simple. There must be slow implementation. It would still depend on the LGU because they are the ones monitoring the areas of jurisdiction," he said.
Diclas also said that there is still no specific target date for the completion of tourism guidelines in Benguet.
He said he is also still waiting for the molecular laboratory for Covid-19 at Benguet General Hospital that is eyed to be in full operation by the end of October this year. The laboratory seeks to boost Covid-19 testing capacity in the province.
To date, proactive measures have been made by every LGU for the reopening of tourism.
In La Trinidad, the town is set for the slow opening of selected sites for its residents only under strict compliance to safety protocols.
In Tuba, resorts will be opened to residents from Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT).
Tublay Mayor Armando Lauro during the PIATF meeting said they will coordinate with local stakeholders for the validation of their tourist destinations that could be opened.
Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan, also the League of Municipalities-Benguet president, said that if tourists who undergo stringent requirements going to Baguio City would want to go to Benguet, they must inform the town and will ask barangay officials if the tourist destination is open.
Palangdan added they will follow the guidelines that will be issued by the Provincial Government.
Bakun Mayor Bill Raymundo said tourists who would like to visit the northern town will have to wait as the confirmed cases in the municipality increased.
The mayor said barangay officials will have to discuss the opening of its tourist areas such as Mt. Kabunyan, Mt. Lobo, and Tekip Falls, all located in Barangay Poblacion.