DOT to work with DND on Corregidor tourism after tour operator shuts down

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Wednesday said her department will work with the Department of National Defense (DND) on Corregidor Island, whose tour operator of more than 30 years has shut down.

Puyat said the Department of Tourism "will see what we can do" once travel restrictions are eased under a modified general community quarantine.

"We will work with the DND, of course it's a tourist spot though it is not under the DOT. But we will of course see what we can do to help," she said at the livestreamed Kapihan sa Manila Bay.

Puyat said Corregidor Island, a historical site, is under the DND.

Sun Cruises Inc. (SCI), the provider of ferry, tour, and hotel services in Corregidor Island, announced their closure this week.

Sun Cruises president Tina Cortez reportedly said the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown influenced the shutdown.

The tourism industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis as the health emergency forced the implementation of travel restrictions around the world. — RSJ, GMA News