With tourism expected to regain momentum in Davao Oriental, the country’s largest and only integrated telco PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications are ramping up the rollout of both fixed and wireless network infrastructure in the area to deliver better connectivity. The towns of Caraga and Governor Generoso and Mati City in Davao Oriental Province are part of the list of Local Government Units across the country that recently issued a total of 730 permits allowing Smart to build new towers. PLDT and Smart have already invested around P260B from 2015 to 2019 and plans to invest about P70B more in 2020, to ramp up the expansion of fiber and LTE, in order to improve services to individuals, homes, communities and businesses nationwide.
Tourism is one of the sectors heavily affected by the Covid 19 pandemic. The abrupt immobility of the public resulted to closure of hotels, restaurants, cultural sites, and beach resorts. Travelers postponed indefinitely if not cancelled their dream vacation. People working in the tourism industry were given leave of absence or completely laid off.
These days, as the lockdown is slowly lifted across the nation, tourist destinations are also starting to open its doors to visitors.
To jumpstart the recovery of tourism in Davao Oriental, the Provincial Tourism Office is making sure that all stakeholders are ready to welcome guests once again. They have been conducting trainings and consultations both online and face-to-face for updated policies, operational guidelines in the new normal, and capacity development. While the vaccine is not available yet, the common understanding is that tourism cannot go back to the way it used to be. Travelers and industry players need to adapt to the “new normal.”
“Prior to the pandemic, tourism was one of the primary economy boosters of the province. If we can make our province a safe place to live and visit, then we can attract visitors again,” shares Miguel Trocio, Davao Oriental’s Provincial Tourism Officer. Fortunately, the province is gradually seeing activity in their locality as travelling within the Davao Region is now possible with strict implementation of health and safety protocols.
"With the easing of lockdown in the borders of Davao Oriental, we are helping industry players adhere to Tourism Protocols and Guidelines in the New Normal. The real challenge is to regain the trust of the travelers to make them want to visit us,” Trocio adds.
Newly opened resort Camp Bernardino de Lavigan uses their social media platforms to ensure that would-be guests are updated about protocols and are informed of the health measures that they implement within their facilities. “We went strong on utilizing our online platforms to have a wider reach. It is also helpful to stay connected online and be updated on travelling guidelines especially with the pandemic still going on,” says Nina Eva Jane Cabason, the resort’s Rooms Division Manager.
Sonny Boy Aporbo, one of Mati’s well-known surfers, shares that beaches are slowly getting a constant stream of tourists. “Madami na rin ang pumupunta dito. May mga nagsu-surf na uli. Kailangan lang i-check na may mga booking sila sa resorts.” [Tourists are starting to come to Mati, some of them surf. Visitors just have to make sure that they have confirmed bookings in the resorts.]
The provincial government requires visitors to secure booking reservations ahead of their trip as they discourage walk-ins without proper documentations. Travelers are required to present health declaration document that is accessible online and are encouraged to use cashless payment options.
