PinnedPH
With several key provinces in the Philippines restarting tourism activities to boost local economy, many more are following suit. Yesterday, the Municipal Tourism Office of Baler in Aurora bared some good news: the surfing capital of the North is now open to tourists, both vaccinated and unvaccinated – children ages 5 and above included – beginning November 10, 2021.
In a Facebook post, Baler’s Tourism Office announced that the move is in accordance with Executive Order 2021-0024, or the General Guidelines on Accepting Tourists. The province of Aurora is currently on Alert Level 4 until November 14 per IATF guidelines.
Travel requirements
To enter Baler, tourists must adhere to the following requirements:
- Approved S-PASS. You can register here: https://s-pass.ph/
- Valid government-issued ID
- Booking confirmation from DOT-accredited accommodation
- Negative RT-PCR test result, released within 72 hours from date of issuance
- For children ages 5 to 10 years old, a medical certificate must be presented (testing not required)
Possibility of laxer requirements
Prior to the said announcement, the Municipal Government of Baler also published a Facebook post clarifying that the above-mentioned requirements are effective until November 14. The post mentioned that they are expecting Aurora to be placed on the laxer Alert Level 2 status beginning November 15, based on the recommendations of the DOH Aurora Provincial Office.
According to the post, when that happens, tourists who are fully vaccinated might not need COVID testing anymore as long as they can present a vaccination card. Those who cannot or are not vaccinated might only be required to take the Rapid Antigen Test, which is cheaper and offers quicker results.
Baler is known for its surfing spots, which are suitable even for beginners. It also has a number of historic sites, including the Dona Aurora Aragon Quezon House, Baler Church, Museo de Baler, and the Baler Monument – all of which are part of the Heritage Trail.
For more updates or inquiries on tourism guidelines for Baler, you can get in touch with them on Facebook.
