BAGUIO FLOWERS. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (left), on Monday (May 31, 2021) encourages local government units to open their areas to tourism to help drum up the economy. She said protocols and systems are in place and the DOT can provide technical assistance to local government units that desire to open their areas under a new normal. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)
ATOK, Benguet – Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Monday assured residents here that there are policies in the tourism sector that are in place to assure the safety of the communities where tourist attractions are located.
“Kapag (sa) tourism, merong test before travel. In fact, iyon lang at kumpara (sa) iba na walang test before travel. Kapag turista palaging may test before travel (Tourists undergo swab test before traveling compared to others where testing is not done, tourists always have their test before they travel),” she said during her visit here.
This is aside from the continuous reminder to observe the minimum public health standards, she added.
“We also always remind the tourists to follow the safety protocols even if they have a negative RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction),” Romulo-Puyat said.
Tourists are also required to pre-register before their travel to a destination which was authorized by the Inter-Agency Task Force to receive tourists or people on leisure travel.
Each of the local governments of the destinations has developed visitor’s online applications with the help of the DOT.
She added that with the requirements in place “so far, talagang walang (there is no) outbreak because of tourism.”
While they encourage local government units (LGUs) to consider opening their areas to tourists, she said it is still up to the LGUs to open their tourism areas or not.
“It is the decision of the mayor and the governor but we are asking for tourism reopening in consideration of the many people who have lost their jobs,” the DOT Secretary said.
Puyat assured that the DOT is willing to provide technical assistance and support to LGUs who intend to reopen their areas for tourism.
Atok Mayor Raymundo Sarac and Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas joined the DOT Secretary in inspecting the Sakura farm at the Haight's Place in Barangay Paoay and the Northern Blossoms, which are both agri-tourism destinations here.
The local officials said their residents' views will be considered in deciding whether to reopen this town and other areas again to tourists.
At present, the officials said they are readying their tourism sites if they open under the new normal.
Sarac said they are in the process of approving a tourism plan and tourism ordinance.
He said he has asked the different villages which have tourist attractions to clean up, fix up and assure that they have amenities including comfort rooms that the tourists can use.
No need to go abroad
Puyat, who went to Atok for the first time, said many people go abroad to see beautiful flowers not knowing that there are destinations in the country which offer the same satisfaction.
“Many tourists are looking for something new to visit which are instagramable. Maganda dito, makikita mo naman puro flowers (it is beautiful here, as you can see it's all flowers),” she said.
Atok, which has a temperature not higher than 20 degrees Celsius for the whole year, produces a variety of flowers. Among them are chrysanthemums, Malaysian mums, and statis, among others. Carnations, sakura and even tulips grow here due to the constant low temperature in the whole municipality.
The rose cabbage which has become popular as accent flowers in special events is also propagated here.
The Puyat farms, owned by the Secretary’s family, produces quality flowers and also maintains several greenhouse farms in this town where they produce several imported flower varieties.
Aside from vegetables, Atok also produces a big quantity of flowers brought to “Dangwa” area in Manila.
Atok also has a sunrise view of Mount Pulag, the country’s second-highest peak. (PNA)
