Lapu-Lapu mayor appeals to allow foreign tourists with complete vaccine shots vs. COVID-19

Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard Chan on Tuesday called on the national government to allow the entry of foreign tourists with complete vaccine shots against COVID-19 to help tourism in Cebu recover.

At the Laging Handang public briefing, Chan said foreign tourists should also undergo a COVID-19 test before they fly to the Philippines.

“We are appealing to Secretary (Harry) Roque, (Health) Secretary Francisco Duque III, the IATF head to allow entry of foreigner tourists who are fully vaccinated,” he said.

“And prior to departure from their point of origin, to have RT-PCR test. So that the tourism industry of Lapu-Lapu City and the province of Cebu will be back,” he added.

In February, Department of Tourism OIC Undersecretary Roberto Alabado III said the Philippines lost about P400 billion income in 2020 due to the decrease in the number of foreign tourists visiting the country amid the pandemic.

He added that around 8.3 million foreign tourists were recorded in 2019.

However, due to the travel restrictions in light of the spread of COVID-19, foreign tourist arrivals went down by 82% in 2020, with only 1.3 million foreign tourists visiting.

The decrease in the number of foreign tourist arrivals has affected 5.7 million jobs in the tourism industry nationwide, Alabado said. -MDM, GMA News