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MANILA (UPDATE)- The summer capital of the Philippines reopened its tourism industry on Thursday but limited the number of local tourists from Ilocos Region to 200 per day only.

“Region 1 lang po ang kaya naming payagan muna dahil kailangan namin pag-aralan yung sistemang bago ipapatupad natin until the new normal kaya unti-unti nating bubuksan ang tourism,” Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong said.

Magalong said the new system includes implementing what they call the 3S and 1R or “Surely, Safely, Slowly and Responsively” when reopening the industry.

“Kaya nililimit lang namin na 200 muna for the next several days yung turistang aakyat. After that, depende sa local government. Pag nakikita nila na manageable, slowly i-increase natin ang number,” he said.

Baguio City and nearby provinces in North Luzon are part of the Ridge to Reef program of the Department of Tourism to boost tourism and reopen the economy.

“Pag ang level of confidence namin tumaas na po, na kaya na naming i- manage ang aming turista, then we will expand to other regions,” he said.

• 'Ridge to Reef Corridor' sa Baguio, N. Luzon bubuksan na

Magalong earlier said the local government would use the VIS.I.T.A app or the Visitors Information and Tourist Assistance app to manage the arrival of tourists.

He said 487 have registered with the system and 66 travel requests mostly from Region 1 have already been processed.

“Meron din request from NCR at sa ibang region pero Region 1 muna po ang papayagan nila,” he said.

Tourists also need to subject themselves to either a swab test or antigen test.