By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Several beach resorts located in Bacolod City’s Barangay Punta Taytay were ordered shuttered by Police Station 9 (PS9) last Monday, Nov. 9, for alleged violation of health protocols.
PS9 commander, Police Lt. Gilbert Batiles, said the beach resorts in the area are not allowed to open or operate, pointing out Bacolod City is still under the general community quarantine (GCQ) status.
Based on the protocols imposed by the Inter-Agency Task Force, resorts may now be allowed to operate in areas placed under GCQ or the more lenient modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) status, however, the establishments are required to secure the Certificate of Authority to Operate (CAO) with the Department of Tourism.
Previously, 28 hotel and accommodation establishments in Bacolod City have already secured the CAO. However, most of the resorts in Barangay Punta Taytay have yet to secure the CAO requirement, and thus they are not yet allowed to operate.
Batiles also revealed the primary reason why they were forced to shutter the resort establishments was due to their failure to uphold the city’s health protocols such as the use of facemasks and face shields, and observing proper social distancing.
Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) spokesperson, Police Lt. Colonel Ariel Pico, also concurred with Batiles’ decision, pointing out for several weeks already PS9 had been receiving numerous calls from concerned citizens pointing out that the resort establishments are allegedly not fully enforcing the required health protocols.
In a follow-up interview with Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, he also agreed that beach resorts in the city are not allowed to operate since the city is under GCQ, however they may be exempted if they have already secured the CAO.
Bacolod City Councilor Israel Salangga, who also chairs the city’s Committee on Tourism, said another reason why the said beach resorts are needed to be closed down is due to Section 5 of Executive Order No. 70 issued by Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, stating that tourist spots including beach resorts and water parks are not allowed to operate during the GCQ.
However, Salangga said he will try to approach Leonardia again to see if he could appeal for the reopening of the beach resorts so as to help hundreds of beach resort workers affected by months of closures.
The councilor also pointed out that if it is not possible, then the reopening of the beach resorts may only be done when the city downgrades to the MGCQ status./DGB, WDJ