BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The municipal government of La Castellana is eyeing the opening of tourist destination areas, restaurants, and cafés, but only on Sundays, and will not hold the traditional Bailes de Luces next month, Mayor Rhumyla Nicor-Mangilimutan said yesterday.
Mangilimutan said she proposed to the Municipal Task Force Covid to allow the reopening of restaurants and cafes in tourism destination areas in La Castellana for local tourists on Sundays, so the owners could also earn this yuletide season.
But it should be limited to a 50-percent capacity, and local tourists should strictly comply with the mandatory health requirements, such as wearing of masks and to observe physical distancing, Mangilimutan said.
“With tourism-related activities in Silay City appearing to have slowed down and Salvador Benedicto now overcrowded with tourists, I think we need more places for people to visit but with the imposition of mandated health protocols,” she added.
There are about 30 restaurants and cafes in tourist destination areas of La Castellana, with the majestic Kanlaon Volcano in the background.
Mangilimutan said that the municipal government will also deploy employees to monitor and strictly enforce health protocols in restaurants and cafes, to be assisted by barangay officials and tanods, who will man the border control points.
Local tourists will be required to present medical or barangay certificates that they are not infected by Covid-19, and identification cards upon their entry to tourist-related restaurants and cafes, she also said.
But she said that the holding of the annual Bailes de Luces in January will temporarily be suspended because of the pandemic.*
