This Week in Northern Luzon (September 12 to 18, 2020)

The City Government of Baguio announced that it will ease city restrictions starting August 31, 2020. According to Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, mall schedules will be suspended and residents no longer need to present mall and market passes upon entering private establishments. Individuals going to the public market must still follow their assigned schedule per district until further notice. Residents, including senior citizens, may now leave their homes to buy essentials, provided that they will follow public safety health protocols. [1]

Baguio City, along with four provinces in the Ilocos Region, plans to reopen its doors for tourism starting September 21. Meanwhile, the local governments of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to revive tourism in the northern region.

Baguio will only be opening its borders to visitors from Region 1. Tourists will have to pre-register using the Visitors Information and Tourist Assistance or VIS.I.T.A. app in compliance with safety protocols. Guests will not be allowed to stay at a relative or a friend’s house as a health precaution. All tourists must also provide proof of booking in a hotel that has been authorized to operate by the Department of Tourism and the local government. They must also undergo triage upon entering the borders. [2 & 3]

Police officers in Ilocos Norte enforced stricter operations against residents who violate health protocols, including individuals who are not wearing face masks in public places. Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office provincial director Col. Christopher Abrahano asked the public to follow minimum health protocols. The Philippine National Police has already arrested more than 500 individuals due to violation of safety protocols, mostly for violating the curfew and not wearing face masks, and 700 individuals were issued citation tickets. Ilocos Norte is under modified general community quarantine until September 30, 2020. [4]

The Public Information Office of Baguio released a new public market schedule for each district which took effect last September 1. The new schedule will only be applied to the Baguio Public Market, since mall and market passes or M&M passes are no longer required in malls. Individuals must first check their district number and their district’s designated M&M color in order to know their corresponding market schedule. Residents may only be allowed to do market chores on days that indicate their district color.

For questions and inquiries, the following numbers may be contacted: Market Office landline 300-6555, BCPO-TOC 0917-575-8993 (Globe) or 0998-598-7739 (Smart). To get the complete details and information of Baguio Public Market’s new schedule, visit Baguio City Guide’s Official Facebook page. [5]

Go to Yoorekka for more COVID-19 updates in Northern Luzon.