In a memo released on Sunday, DOT-NCR Regional Director Woodrow Maquiling Jr. said 4-star and 5-star hotels may send their Letter of Intent if they wish to participate in the staycation program as approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force against COVID-19 and the department. Since the lockdowns started in March, hotels were limited to accepting health workers, overseas Filipino workers, stranded foreigners, and guests with long-term bookings.
Two weeks ago, the DOT said it received approval from the government's pandemic response task force to allow staycations or short-term leisure stays in hotels. "That marks the beginning of the reopening of our tourism industry here in Manila," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace press briefing.
Tourism worldwide was badly-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic after governments sought to limit movement to prevent the spread of the virus. The Philippines is restarting the industry after the government relaxed virus restrictions in most parts of the country.