BAGUIO CITY (PIA) - - The City Government of Baguio  which is under Alert Level 1   has eased quarantine restrictions  and is now gearing up towards socio - economic recovery in the new normal.

Baguio is now open to all vaccinated adult leisure/recreation travelers and non – resident APORs (Authorized Personnel Outside of Residence). They just need to register online at visita.baguio.gov.ph and bring their vaccination cards and valid identification cards.

For partially vaccinated or unvaccinated individuals, aside from registration to the Baguio VISITA Apps, they need to present a negative RT – PCR Test result taken   at least three days (72 hours) or a negative rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours before their entry to Baguio. The city offers rapid antigen test at the city’s central triage area at the Baguio Convention Center.

Children below 18 years old are not required to present vaccine cards as long as they are accompanied by vaccinated adults.

The city is already experiencing increase of visitors especially during weekends. More visitors are expected in the coming days  especially with the with the return of Panagbenga or Baguio Flower Festival , and the onset of summer.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong, in the National Task Force Against COVID – 19 CODE Team New Normal Roadshow in Baguio last May 11, outlined that the city government is working on programs to be implemented in the next several weeks that will jumpstart the city’s transition to the new normal.

“Today’s event signals our transition to new normal. That is the reason why we are working on several projects programs to make sure that we will be creating an enabling environment for our business to thrive, for our tourism industry to thrive and for the people to learn and internalize the new normal programs that we will implement in the next several months”, Magalong stressed.  

The NTF CODE Team headed by National Action Plan Against COVID – 19 Deputy Chief Implementer and Vaccine Czar – Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon also lauded Baguio for being a model for the transition to new normal  with its responsive COVID – 19 PDITR (Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat and Re-integrate) strategy and the city’s significant vaccination program accomplishment.

 The COVID – 19 situation in Baguio continues with its down trend. As of March 15 data of the city health services office, active cases are down to 21 and recovery rate is at 97.95 percent.

For vaccination coverage, 279,195 individuals, or 99.36 percent of the city’s target of 281,000 eligible population are already fully vaccinated. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)