Amended Guidelines for Staycations under GCQ

September 28, 2020

DOT ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 006-A-20

AMENDED GUIDELINES ON THE OPERATIONS OF ACCOMMODATION ESTABLISHMENTS FOR STAYCATION PURPOSES UNDER A GENERAL COMMUNITY QUARANTINE

WHEREAS, on 25 September 2020, the Department of Tourism (DOT) issued Administrative Order No. 2020-006 or the Guidelines on the Operations of Accommodation Establishments for Staycation Purposes Under a General Community Quarantine;

WHEREAS, upon evaluation, there is a need to amend the said Guidelines to include the requirement of a Rapid Antigen Test for COVID-19 for staycationing guests; HTcADC

NOW, THEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, Administrative Order No. 2020-006 is hereby amended as follows:

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

SECTION 1. Short Title.— This Order shall be known as the "AmendedGuidelines for Staycations under GCQ."

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms.— For purposes of these Guidelines, the term:

(a) "Accommodation Establishments" shall refer to establishments operating primarily for accommodation purposes including, but not limited to, hotels, resorts, apartment hotels, mabuhay accommodation establishments (e.g.,tourist inns, motels, pension houses, bed and breakfast, and vacation homes) and homestays.

(b) "Certificate of Authority to Operate for Staycations" refers to a certification issued by the DOT that an Accommodation Establishment in an area placed under a General Community Quarantine has fulfilled all requirements for operation for Staycation purposes.

(c) "Community Quarantine" refers to the restriction of movement within, into, or out of the area of quarantine of individuals, large groups of people, or communities designed to reduce the likelihood of transmission of COVID-19 among persons in and to persons outside the affected area (IATF-EID Omnibus Guidelines).

(d) "General Community Quarantine" or GCQ refers to the implementation of temporary measures limiting movement and transportation, regulation of operating industries, and presence of uniformed personnel to enforce community quarantine protocols (IATF-EID Omnibus Guidelines).

(e) "Minimum Public Health Standards" refers to guidelines set by the Department of Health (DOH),as well as sector-relevant guidelines to aid all sectors in all settings to implement non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI),which refer to public health measures that do not involve vaccines, medications, or other pharmaceutical interventions, which individuals and communities can carry out in order to reduce transmission rates, contact rates, and the duration of infectiousness of individuals in the population to mitigate COVID-19 (IATF-EID Omnibus Guidelines).

(f) "Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine" or MECQ refers to the transition phase between ECQ and GCQ, when these temporary measures are relaxed: stringent limiting movement and transportation of people, strict regulation of operating industries, provision of food and essential services, and heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce community quarantine protocols become less necessary (IATF-EID Omnibus Guidelines).

(g) "Rapid Antigen Test" refers to immunoassays that detect the presence of a specific viral antigen, which implies current viral infection. It is commonly used in the diagnosis of respiratory pathogens, including influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

(h) "Star Rating" refers to the star bands for Hotels, Resorts, and Apartment Hotels, following the Star Grading System of the DOT under DOT Memorandum Circular No. 2012-02.

(i) "Staycation" refers to an activity involving a minimum of an overnight stay for leisure purposes in an Accommodation Establishment that is not utilized as a mandatory COVID-19 quarantine facility.

SECTION 3. Scope and Application.— This Order shall apply to all Accommodation Establishments only in areas under GCQ.

II. ELIGIBLE ACCOMMODATION ESTABLISHMENTS

SECTION 4. Eligible Accommodation Establishments.— Accommodation Establishments may accommodate guests for Staycation purposes in areas declared to be under GCQ, subject to compliance with all the conditions stated below:

a. Those that are not concurrently being used as quarantine or isolation facilities for repatriated OFWs or returning overseas Filipinos or as quarters for health workers. If the Accommodation Establishment was previously utilized for these purposes or has previously accommodated guests who are COVID-19 positive, proof of sanitation and disinfection shall be submitted to the Regional Office concerned. Such proof may be in the form of logs, records, certification, or any other sufficient documentation by the in-house sanitation personnel of the Accommodation Establishment, or by outsourced third party cleaners;

b. Those that have been granted a four (4) or five (5) Star Rating by the DOT; and

c. Those granted Certificates of Authority to Operate for Staycations (CAOS) by the DOT.

SECTION 5. Certificate of Authority to Operate for Staycations. — All Accommodation Establishments in areas declared to be under General Community Quarantine shall secure a DOT Certificate of Authority to Operate for Staycations (CAOS) prior to accommodating any guest for Staycation. For this purpose, the relevant provisions of DOT Administrative Order No. 2020-002-B shall apply.

SECTION 6. Local Government Unit Concurrence.— Notwithstanding compliance with the foregoing requirements, operations of Accommodation Establishments for Staycation purposes shall be subject to applicable restrictions, rules, or ordinances of the Local Government Unit (LGU) where the Accommodation Establishment is located. aScITE

III. GUIDELINES ON GUESTS

SECTION 7. Permitted Guests.— Individuals of all ages, except those with comorbidities or are currently pregnant, are permitted to go on Staycation in DOT-Accredited Accommodation Establishments.

SECTION 8. Territorial Limitation.— Guests may Staycation in Accommodation Establishments located in the same province as their residence. For this purpose, the National Capital Region shall be considered a province.

SECTION 9. Mandatory Testing.— A staycation guest shall be required to present a negative result from a Rapid Antigen Test conducted on the same day of check-in.

SECTION 10. Maximum Number Per Guestroom.— The maximum allowable guests staying in a guestroom at a given time shall be determined by the floor area of the guestroom, as follows:

 

Room Floor Area (sqm)	Maximum Number of Guests
Up to 20 sqm	1 person or 2 persons from the same household 1
21 to 29 sqm	2 persons
30 to 39 sqm	3 persons
40 to 49 sqm	4 persons
50 sqm and above	5 persons

 

IV. HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS FOR ANCILLARY ESTABLISHMENTS

SECTION 11. Contactless Payment and Other Transactions.— Cashless methods of payment, online transactions and other options for contactless transactions that promote minimal physical contact is mandatory.

SECTION 12. Suppletory Application of DOT Memorandum Circular No. 2020-002-B. — Accommodation Establishments admitting guests for Staycation shall comply with the protocols and standards under DOT Memorandum Circular No. 2020-002-B entitled Further Amended Health and Safety Guidelines Governing the Operations of Accommodation Establishments Under the New Normal,which is deemed to apply to this Order by analogy or in suppletory character.

SECTION 13. Permitted Ancillary Establishments.— The following facilities may operate in AEs that have been granted a CAOS:

(a) Restaurants and other food and beverage outlets, excluding bars;

(b) Gyms; and

(c) Swimming Pools.

The operations of the above establishments and services shall be subject to the Health and Safety Guidelines under DOT Memorandum Circular No. 2020-002-B.

V. BUSINESS PRACTICES

SECTION 14. Staycation Package Development.— Hotel associations and DOT-accredited Accommodation Establishments, and Travel Agencies or Tour Operators are highly encouraged to develop Staycation packages that are fit to the present market demands and conditions. The Staycation packages shall strictly adhere to the existing Health and Safety Guidelines of the DOT and shall be submitted to the DOT Regional Office concerned for monitoring purposes.

SECTION 15. Reportorial Requirements. — Accommodation Establishments catering to Staycationing guests shall keep a record of occupancy data and submit the same every 10th of the month to the relevant DOT Regional Office and LGU Tourism Office for data analysis purposes, subject to the provisions of Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act, and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

VI. OTHER PROVISIONS

SECTION 16. Compliance with Other Relevant Issuances.— Accommodation Establishments shall comply with other relevant DOT, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI),or Department of Health (DOH) issuances on health and safety standards for the New Normal, as well as rules and regulations imposed by the LGU having jurisdiction over the Accommodation Establishment.

SECTION 17. Penalties.— Any violation of this Order may subject the Accommodation Establishment to the appropriate fines and penalties including revocation of its DOT accreditation, in accordance with relevant laws, rules, and regulations.

SECTION 18. Separability Clause.— If any portion or provision of this Order is declared null and void or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in force and effect. HEITAD

SECTION 19. Effectivity.— This Order shall take effect immediately and shall remain effective until otherwise superseded, amended, or repealed accordingly.

SECTION 20. Repealing Clause.— This Order repeals DOT Administrative Order No. 2020-006 and all other DOT issuances inconsistent herewith.

For guidance and strict compliance.

BERNADETTE ROMULO-PUYATSecretary

 

Footnotes

1. Guests shall be required to present proof of residency such as a government or company ID with a residential address.