LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The municipal government assured tourism industry stakeholders that appropriate programs, projects and activities will be implemented to allow the heavily impacted sector to bounce back from the serious negative effect of the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to the economic activities and sources of livelihood of the residents.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda, who was given a fresh mandate by the town’s electorate for his third term, stated that the municipal government is inclined to pursue the implementation of aggressive interventions to allow the local tourism industry to recover from the heavy impact inflicted by the pandemic so that displaced workers can regain their jobs and bring back the vibrance of economic activities without compromising the prescribed minimum public health standards.
However, he admitted that the Alert Level 2 status of Benguet is affecting the implementation of the programmed interventions thus hindering the rollout of programs allow the economic sector to rebound from the pandemic, thus, health workers are now working double time to vaccinate more people to achieve the projected 70 percent her immunity.
The municipal chief executive reports that the municipal tourism office is currently preparing tour packages to allow tourists to visit most of the existing tourist destinations in the municipality that will allow the said sector to at last regain its pre-pandemic vibrance.
According to him, the capacity of tourist-oriented establishments remain at 70 percent because of the Alert Level 2 status in the province, but once the alert level status is downgraded, the community quarantine restrictions will be eased.
La Trinidad is known for the strawberry and cutflower gardens in various parts of the municipality, apart from scenic and creative art destinations that have emerged during the height of the pandemic and served as one of the sources of income of creative industry stakeholders who were deprived of their sources of livelihood during the implementation of lockdowns.
He urged residents and visitors to sustain their compliance to the minimum public health standards to avert triggering surges in cases that might derail efforts by both the local government and the private sector to recover from the effects of the pandemic.
Earlier, the municipal government decided to allow the entry of visitors coming from outside the municipality as part of the gradual and safe revival of the tourism industry for residents to get back their jobs and enhance their economic activities.
Among the trekking destinations in the province include Mount Yangbew and Mount Kalugong which are being frequented by residents and visitors alike.