THE Department of Tourism (DOT) has ordered the suspension of staycations during the reimposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.
DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said hotels, resorts, apartment hotels, motels and similar establishments can only accept guests with long-term lease contracts, locally stranded individuals or those transiting to their place of residence, and authorized persons outside of residence pursuant to their official duties.
Guests who check in Sunday, March 28, will still be allowed but new bookings will not be accepted from March 29 to April 4, 2021.
Puyat reminded the hotels to adhere to the health protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and the DOT.
These facilities may employ only a skeleton workforce and the staff should be provided with free accommodation.
Regardless of quarantine status, hotels are not allowed to operate their restaurants, cafes, bars, gyms, spas, swimming pools, and conference or function halls unless they were permitted by the Department of Health or the Bureau of Quarantine to prepare packed meals for staff and guests or for takeout and delivery to the public.
Puyat said hotels have agreed to rebook guest bookings for free.
The DOT has categorized accommodation establishments into the following based on the nature of their operations:
Puyat said quarantine hotels are required to implement measures to ensure that guests under mandatory quarantine will not mix with health workers.
These measures include the designation of separate floors or wings, elevators and passageways.
She said hotels that fail to implement these protocols may face sanctions, including fines, suspension and cancellation of accreditation. (SunStar Philippines)