With the province of Laguna already in GCQ albeit in heightened restrictions status, Calamba City’s resorts owners are urging the government to allow them to resume operations as many of their workers are now facing certain penury.
ONCE top drawers of Calamba City's economy, most resort owners inside the city are now on the verge of going bankrupt due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions that came along with it, according to a group of resort owners.
A Facebook page called "Calamba City Updates" posted on May 17 pictures of resort workers in Barangay Pansol putting up signs urging the local and national governments to allow them to resume operations.
“Sigaw ng mga empleyado ng mga resorts ay magbalik ang operasyon kahit small population lamang ang i-accommodate,” the page read. “Hindi naman daw sa buong paghihintay ay aasa na lang sila sa ayuda pagkat sila rin ay nais nang kumilos.”
With the province of Laguna placed under a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with "heightened restrictions" starting May 15, resorts are still prohibited from operating under the guidelines set up by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).
Last May 4, resort owners and operators in Calamba City presented a letter to Mayor Justin Marc Chipeco, asking for the city mayor to allow them to resume operations.
However, the Department of Tourism (DOT) reportedly sent a letter to Chipeco advising the local government that private resorts are still not allowed to operate inside the National Capital Region Plus (NCR Plus) under GCQ with heightened restrictions.
"In as much as we would like to extend assistance in allowing the operation of hot spring resorts in Pansol, we have to abide [by] the IATF rules and regulations," DOT Regional Director Michael Palispis said.
Tourism is one of Calamba City's main economic sectors, primarily in Barangay Pansol where private resorts have become a popular haunt for those seeking relief from the summer heat.
However, since the Covid-19 pandemic began last March, the whole industry was forced to shut down due to health restrictions.
While some resorts were allowed to reopen last June, resort owners have complained that travel restrictions and capacity limitations have hampered their efforts to recover from the pandemic. (ONT)
Tags: #OpinYonLaguna, #CalambaCity, #Pansol, #resorts, #tourism