DOT: “Under the Marcos Administration, our country is open for tourism”
DOT – The Department of Tourism recently issued a memorandum lifting the face mask and vaccination policies in tourist spots in the Philippines as the tourist destinations in the country become more open for travelers.
Based on the recent memorandum issued by the Department of Tourism, wearing of face masks and showing proof of full COVID-19 vaccination are no longer required in tourist spots.
Currently, wearing of face masks both in outdoor and indoor settings in the Philippines is “voluntary”, based on the executive order released by Malacañang last October 2022.
The Department of Tourism released the DOT Memorandum Circular 2023-0002 to support the “national government’s liberalization of the COVID-19 restrictions in the country” and to further ease health and safety guidelines governing the operations of tourism establishments in the country.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said in a statement that the issuance of the Memorandum Circular reinforces the agency’s commitment towards addressing the economic hardships of the tourism industry in the Philippines.
“It sends the important message that, under the Marcos Administration, our country is open for tourism, and that we are keeping up with global practices on tourism operations that have already opened up worldwide,” Frasco said.
READ ALSO: Frasco Says PH To Make Indoor Face Mask Use “Voluntary”
Meanwhile, Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire reminded in an ambush interview on Tuesday that while it’s no longer mandated by the national government, wearing of face masks in both outdoor and indoor settings in the country remains to be an individual choice.
According to Vergeire, it’s necessary to consider the vaccination status when wondering whether to wear face masks or not as vaccination gives better protection against COVID-19.
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