READY FOR 'NEW NORMAL'. The Tourism, Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission (TCHAC) of Lapu-Lapu City has paid visits to resorts and hotels in the locality to check their preparations for the reopening of the hospitality sector. TCHAC chairperson Cindi King-Chan (center) heads the delegation from the Lapu-Lapu City government in an undated photo, to check the readiness of the establishments in embracing the "new normal" amid the Covid-19 health crisis. (Photo courtesy of Lapu-Lapu City PIO)
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu – The Tourism, Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission (TCHAC) here said it is now prepared for the reopening the hospitality industry in Cebu’s resort island once its community quarantine status is downgraded.
City officials have been visiting hotels and resorts to check their preparations on safety and wellness protocols and the guidelines set by the local government and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
“We look forward to opening up the domestic tourism market to revive the hospitality industry,” TCHAC chairperson Cindi King-Chan said in a statement on Thursday.
Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan’s administration, through the TCHAC, continues to serve the Oponganons wholeheartedly, gearing towards the “new normal” in implementing safety protocols and precautionary measures, considered as the utmost priority, the statement said.
Accompanied by city health officer Grace Mary Chan-Carungay and sanitation inspector Ferdinand Tepait, Chan has paid visits to hotels and resorts here since last week.
With the decreasing number of Covid-19 positive cases and an increasing number of recoveries from such disease, Lapu-Lapu City is hopeful to be downgraded from general community quarantine (GCQ) to modified GCQ soon.
“With God’s grace, we hope He will continue to bless us with lower positive cases and higher recoveries,” Chan said.
Philippine Export Zone Authority (PEZA) locators and other business establishments here are now reaching almost 100 percent operational capacity as 50 to 70 percent of their employees have already returned to work.
“We really appreciate all the efforts shown, adhering to the safety protocols and precautionary measures as we are all reshaping our tourism industry,” Chan said.
She said the general managers of resorts and hotels here have appreciated the visits, noting their openness to improve their safety and health protocols as their operations welcome the new normal.
The TCHAC also gave an update on the tourism recovery plan of the city government to the industry stakeholders. (PNA)
