More than 100 Filipino tourists stranded in the city; Puerto Princesans sought to extend a helping-hand

The City Tourism Office (CTO) said around 70 percent of the stranded Filipino tourists in Puerto Princesa due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) need help and assistance.

Aileen Cynthia Amurao, the city tourism officer, told Palawan Daily News (PDN) their record reveals 106 stranded individuals as of Monday, March 30.

“Dito sa record namin halos [from] all over the Philippines: merong galing Luzon, may galing nang Visayas, [at] Mindanao, na nandirito sa atin. Ang pinag-a-aralan natin actually [is] kung papaano silang tulungan [na] makabalik sa kanilang mga lugar. Because of the ECQ meron ding mga protocols ‘yan. Hindi rin tayo basta-basta maipadala sila [pabalik sa kanila] dahil they are actually, for all the Filipinos, covered tayo ng ECQ policy o ‘yong umiiral ngayon na home quarantine. Kaya sila apektado talaga sila nang husto kasi walang movement sa atin for all the Filipinos,” said Amurao.

Amurao said the City Government and the CTO are presently looking for a way to send the local tourists back to their own cities and provinces.

She said it will be very helpful if Puerto Princesans extend donations of any kind while the authorities are still working on how to send them back home.

“Ang pinaka-importante ngayon marami tayong Filipino tourists. They are actually requesting also for financial assistance na, wala na silang pambayad dito ng accommodation nila. Nakikiusap na sila ngayon, nag-a-approach na sa mga bahay-bahay na pupuwedeng umampon sa kanila. Meron tayong mga namo-monitor na ganoon kasi nga wala na rin silang pera. Humihingi na rin sila ng ipinamimigay ng city na goodies,” said Amurao.

“May mga well-off sa atin puwede sila mag-share sa mga ito both financially or pagdating sa mga food baka pupuwede nilang matulungan. We have the list. Puwede sigurong magtulung-tulong tayo, tulungan natin sila kasi they also contributed in the success of our tourism,” she added.

She stated anyone who will have something to give may drop it at the office of City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) at the back of Mendoza Park.