Gov. Arthur Yap signs Executive Order (EO) 57 amending the earlier EOs 53 and 54 and allowing free independent travelers (FIT) and authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) to visit more places in the province as long as they are able to secure a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test after five days upon arrival here.
A copy of the EO, signed by the governor on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, was provided to The Bohol Tribune yesterday, Dec. 19, 2020.
The EO 57 amends EO 53 as amended by EO 53-A, which regulates the movement of FIT and tourists attending meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) events within the tourist bubble.
EO 53-A amends EO 53 that allows FIT to enter Bohol aside from MICE attendees.
The tourist bubble is the entire Panglao Island where two (2) towns are located, Dauis and Panglao.
The same EO 57 amends EO 54, which provides the directives for the protocol concerning the movement of an APOR, whose movement is limited within his/her place of work or business here in Bohol.
The EO 57 recognizes that there are times the FIT or APOR opts to stay longer or to visit other places outside the tourist bubble or the place of work or business, respectively.
The governor said in the EO 57 that the direction of the province is moving towards the relaxing of existing protocol to slowly revive the tourism industry, which is the backbone of the province’s economy.
In a press conference with personalities from the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) on Dec. 8, 2020, Yap said 78% of Bohol’s economy depends on the tourism industry.
The new EO 57 now allows FIT and APOR to visit outside the tourist bubble and place of work or business, respectively.
EO 57 amends Section 3 paragraph e of EO 53 as amended by EO 53-A saying stopovers for FIT or MICE attendee is not allowed as a FIT or MICE attendee is forbidden to see relatives, acquaintances or friends living outside the tourist bubble.
However, a FIT or an attendee of a MICE event may visit other places outside the tourist bubble upon taking a swab test on the 5th day from arrival here and subsequently obtaining a negative RT-PCR.
“Stopovers from port/airport to accommodation establishments are not allowed. Moreover, tourists are not allowed to meet with friends, relatives, or acquaintances outside of the tourist bubble. However, on the fifth (5th) day from the date of arrival, the tourist, FITs and attendees of MICE and events will take the RT-PCR test and upon yielding a negative result, may visit places outside of the tourist bubble,” the EO 57 states.
Moreover, EO 57 amends section 5 paragraph e of EO 54 saying for an APOR to be allowed entry into the province he/she must present a negative RT-PCR test taken no earlier than 72 hours prior to arrival in Bohol.
The APOR is only permitted to go to the specified area designated for the purpose of the APOR’s work or business.
The APOR is discouraged to venture outside the designated area. EO 54 also limits the interaction with individuals other than those directly involved in the work or business of the APOR.
However, an APOR may visit places outside the designated areas of work or business, provided a negative RT-PCR result, taken after the 5th day upon arrival here, can be presented.
“An APOR shall undergo a PCR Test not more than 72-hours prior to his/her arrival in the province, and if test results are negative, he/she may be permitted to go only to specified place/s for the purpose of his/her visit and is discouraged to go anywhere outside of specified areas and limit interaction with individuals other than those directly involved in the purpose of his/her visit, provided, that, if he/she shall stay for more than five (5) days he/she shall undergo a repeat PCR Test on the 5th day and shall remain in the quarantine facility until he/she receives a negative result. Provided further that, APORs may visit places outside of their place of work or business upon yielding a negative RT-PCR Test Result taken on the 5th day from their date of arrival in the province,” the EO 57 revealed.
TOURISM VISITORS PICKING UP
After a month of opening the tourism industry to MICE attendees, Bohol opens its doors to FIT in a bid to attract more visitors to Bohol.
According to the governor, there were only 36 tourists who attended MICE events here for the period covering Nov. 15, 2020 to Dec. 4, 2020.
Now, with the tourism industry opening its doors on Dec. 15, 2020 to FIT, at least 155 tourists have booked to visit Bohol as of Friday, the governor said during the press conference on Friday, Dec. 18, 2020.
The numbers show that the tourist arrivals are picking up, he said.
In the same press conference, the governor could not tell when the tourism industry here will return to its former glory.“I have no estimate (when the tourism industry regains former strength). The vaccine is critical. We need to know when the vaccine will arrive in the Philippines,” the governor explained. (Editor’s Note; The full text of Executive Order No. 57 signed by Bohol Governor Arthur C. Yap is published on page 27 of this paper.)