The Department of Tourism (DOT) has as of June 1 assisted 36,988 foreign and domestic tourists stranded in the country since the implementation of travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to tourism chief Berna Romulo-Puyat, the majority were visiting foreign nationals who failed to catch their flights back to their home countries since the government imposed a Luzon-wide lockdown on March 15, leaving thousands of passengers trapped in other cities and provinces.
“All of our people were there, from the island to the airport, we were there. The Filipino brand of service is still there,” the DOT chief said in a virtual press conference on Tuesday . Through the Tourism Promotions Board and its regional offices, Puyat said the department also provided one-time cash assistance to qualified domestic tourists whose air and land tickets were affected by the enhanced community quarantine implementation.DOT has also provided assistance to returning overseas Filipinos and repatriated overseas Filipino workers who arrived on chartered flights.
Per guidelines, all OFs and OFWs will first undergo orientation with the Bureau of Quarantine as soon as they arrive. However, returning OFs will have to pay their own accommodation cost at the hotel of their choice. OFs are therefore advised to book their reservations prior to their return to the country.
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