MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED Jan. 7, 2021; 1:51 a.m.)—Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat on Tuesday corrected the misperception that all four or five-star rated accommodation establishments can operate as staycation hotels.
“For such hotel to accept guests for leisure purposes, it has to apply for a Certificate of Authority to Operate as Staycation (CAOS) hotel. With the authority is the responsibility to strictly adhere to the minimum health and safety guidelines,” Puyat said.
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“One has to pass the rigid inspection to ascertain that measures and systems are put in place and diligently practiced on a daily basis. It cannot, above all things, concurrently operate as a quarantine facility,” she added.
The DOT chief made the reiteration after City Garden Grand Hotel in Makati City was implicated in the death of 23-year-old flight attendant Christine Angelica Dacera.
The agency on Tuesday issued a show cause order against the Makati hotel, asking it to explain why its accreditation should not be revoked.
CGGH, a four-star hotel, is listed as a quarantine hotel and should not operate as a staycation hotel or is not allowed to concurrently accept guests for leisure purposes. However, reports said that the death of Dacera occurred after a New Year’s Eve party in one of its hotel rooms.
Meanwhile, the DOT stressed that as of January 5, there are only 15 accredited AEs in Metro Manila that operate as staycation hotels.
These are: Grand Hyatt Hotel, Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Okada Manila Hotel, Shangri-La at the Fort, Nobu Hotel, Joy Nostalg Hotel and Suites Manila, EDSA Shangri-La Manila, Solaire Resort, Hyatt Regency City of Dreams, Nuwa Hotel City of Dreams, The Peninsula Manila, Aruga by Rockwell, Sheraton Manila Hotel, Hilton Manila and Hotel Okura Manila.
Other AEs not included in the roster are banned from accepting guests for leisure purposes or are not open at this time.
Puyat warned AEs without CAOS and tour operators and other entities “that continue to post invitations or make false, deceptive and misleading claims or statements for the purpose of soliciting business from clients” that they may face violations.
“These non-staycation enterprises have been using social media to carry its ads,” the DOT said.
The DOT advised the public to check the status of the establishment before booking. The AEs operating as quarantine facilities are listed in the website of the Bureau of Quarantine.
On the other hand, AEs and new enterprises that are interested to apply for accreditation can register via the DOT’s online accreditation system can be accessed through Accreditation Portal (https://accreditation.tourism.gov.ph/).
Puyat said that with the threats posed by the new coronavirus variant, the DOT “will be on heightened alert and will have zero tolerance for even the slightest violation of health protocols.”
“Lives are on the line and our economic recovery depends on everybody being responsible. Let us all perform our duties well. Each has an important role to play in managing this crisis,” she said.