The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) and other travel groups are asking the Ministry of Tourism for further assistance.

In a letter to the DOT, the PTAA noted “ongoing financial challenges and business implications” from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are one with the division’s efforts to recover and support companies severely affected by the ongoing coronavirus disease,” PTAA President Michelle Taylan wrote in the letter addressed to DOT Sec. Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

The Travel Association is seeking further assistance from government insurers such as the Social Security System, PhilHealth and PAGIBIG to maximize benefit uptake for PTAA members and other stakeholders in the travel industry who may be currently facing financial difficulties due to restricted or closed businesses.

The group is also looking for discounted Lifeline packages for other recurring monthly bills that need to be paid during operations. This includes utility and telecommunications fees.

“You can imagine the financial burden of having to pay off these usual items with no real income,” said Taylan. “We hope to be able to provide a little relief for the employees in the tourism industry, kahit sa simpleng mga bayarin kada buwan.”

The PTAA launched its “Bills Support Care” campaign, drawing inspiration from the various community supplies that have been set up in different parts of the country.

The association expects the tourism industry to gain momentum after vaccinating the A4 priority group, which also includes tourism workers.

“We see a silver lining when the inoculation of the economic frontliners begins. It would only be a matter of time before we see a tourism boom again. But by then we hope to be able to help ailing companies as best we can, ”said Taylan.

Recreational travel to and from the NCR Plus to areas with relaxed restrictions or those in modified general community quarantine were permitted, but limited to point-to-point travel.

Travelers under the age of 18 and travelers over 65 must provide a negative RT-PCR test result. The requirements for the swab test for individuals between ages will depend on the protocol of the local government unit of your destination.

In addition to PTAA and TCP, there are other travel associations such as PATA, NAITAS, QCTAA, PATS, ALTTA, ATTAP, ATTA, BAPTTA, BATFOI, BITATOA, BSTA, BOSZTAA, CTTA, DTAA, ITATOA, NEATOP, PTOTAA, QuePATTA, TATToO, R1AT and the RTA join the call to seek help for travel and tourism workers hard hit by this pandemic.

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