Mimaropa’s Department of Tourism (DOT) continues to work with local government partners and the private sector stakeholders to bring home foreign nationals and help local tourists who were straded in the region throughout the implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine.
Except for Marinduque, the other provinces of Mimaropa will be under General Community Quarantine by May.
Just recently, five foreigners who stayed in Coron, Palawan were able get back to Manila (via 2GO) through the collaboration of DOT Mimaropa, the Province of Palawan and Municipality of Coron.
Likewise, three more foreign vacationers (two from France and one from the Netherlands) were brought to Manila through coordination among the Province of Occidental Mindoro and the tourism offices of Sablayan and San Jose.
The tourism offices of Oriental Mindoro, Calapan City and Puerto Galera, on the other hand, are working closely to help two British nationals get a trip back to Manila to catch a sweeper flight arranged by their embassy.
“We are doing our best to help them within the guidelines set forth by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases,” said Director Chris Moralles of DOT Mimaropa.
From the time local governments have tightened their borders to the full implementation of ECQ in the region, Director Morales said the regional office has been talking to the offices of governors and municipalities in areas where most tourists frequently visit.
Director Morales said they are exchanging information also with embassies to locate their vacationing nationals.
Depending on the agreed arrangements, land transportaion is provided by local governments while accomodations are provided either by DOT Mimaropa or their municipal and provincial counterparts.
Once cleared by provincial and municipality health authorities, tourists were allowed to leave.
In a report dated April 17, DOT Mimaropa have assisted around 333 passengers in 41 ferry trips in the Mindoro Provinces, Marinduque and Romblon.
About 6,339 tourists (including 45 locals, majority foreigners) in Palawan were assisted by the Regional Ofice in 91 sweeper flights (special flights).
Furthermore, the Regional Office also provided breakfast meals to 143 tourists stranded in Lio Airport in El Nido, Palawan and food packs to 120 tourists who were also stranded at the Puerto Princesa City International Airport.
The Regional Office issued 97 Tourist Care Plan vouchers (worth Php 2,000 each) and 12 cash assistance to local tourists stranded in Palawan.
One TCP voucher for Oriental Mindoro while 11 more for Occidental Mindoro.
Some hotel establishments across the region, Director Morales said, have volunteered accommodations totaling about 600 rooms ifor Overseas Filipino Workers in case the need arises.
There are hotels, he added, have been engaged by local governments for persons under investigations (PUIs now classified as either probable or suspected COVID-19 infected) (Lyndon Plantilla/PIAMIMAROPA)
