Manila’s Walled City Intramuros is Finally Open
Manila’s Walled City, Intramuros is now open to the public, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced last Sunday.
After the recommendation to put the National Capital Region (NCR) and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, collectively known as NCR Plus, under a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), Tourism Bernadette Romulo-Puyat immediately declared the opening of Intramuros.
Also read: Museo de Intramuros Exhibits 400 Years of Filipino Religious Craftsmanship
Baluarte de San Diego/IMAGE from the Department of Tourism
However, only Fort Santiago and Baluarte de San Diego will be accessible to the public with limited capacity and shortened operating hours under strict health and safety guidelines. With this restriction under GCQ, tourist attractions can now accommodate and operate at 30 percent venue capacity, subject to strict compliance to health and safety protocols.
“The reopening of Fort Santiago and Baluarte San Diego will allow visitors to again experience the World’s Leading Tourist Attraction as recognized by the prestigious World Tourism Awards,” Puyat said.
Also read: Baluarte de San Diego in Intramuros: An enduring fortress of history
At a 30 percent threshold, Fort Santiago can now accommodate 200 visitors while the Baluarte de San Diego can have a maximum of 100 persons at a time.
Meanwhile, the operating hours of Fort Santiago is from 9:00 a.m. with the last entry of visitors at 6:30 p.m. The Baluarte de San Diego garden will be open to the general public from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The entrance fee is Php 75, which can be paid in cash or via Beep card or PayMaya. Seniors, students, and persons with disabilities may pay the discounted price of Php 50. It is limited to visitors aged 18 to 65 in compliance with the age restrictions set by the IATF.
Also read: Inside Intramuros: A Tour in Manila’s Walled City
The DOT also reminded visitorss to remain vigilant and comply with minimum public health standards. Mandatory screening of temperature and symptoms, and sanitizing practices will be observed and guests are required to register using a quick response (QR) code system for contact tracing prior to entry.
In 2019, the Intramuros Administration (IA) reported 3.3 million people visited Intramuros.
Source: Philippine News Agency, The Department of Tourism
Written by Cedie Salido
