- Tagaytay businesses are now back to operations
- But the number of visitors has not yet normalized
- The reopening aims to help workers and suppliers to start earning again
13 days after the Taal eruption, 131 business establishments have reopened after clean up efforts in Tagaytay.
Restaurants were the first to serve customers again followed by hotels and bed and breakfast establishments. However, the large influx of tourists has not yet returned to normal. According to the city government, people are not yet confident in revisiting the tourist destination.
However, some volunteers doing relief operations have already dropped by some restaurants to eat, while some guests visit farms, according to Cavite 8th District Rep. Abraham Tolentino. Tourism secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat understands that tourism is Tagaytay’s bread and butter but she advised business owners to keep themselves updated with warnings from PHIVOLCS.
Senator Francis Tolentino said that the reopening is not for these businesses to earn profit but to give the volunteers a place to stay or eat and for the employees and the vegetable suppliers to start earning again. Yet for those who cannot provide clean water, the establishment should remain closed.
DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing earlier issued a statement prohibiting businesses to open. But Tagaytay only considered this as a “recommendation”.
Starting January 12, stores were affected due to Taal Volcano’s unrest which started with heavy ashfall. Power outages were experienced forcing other establishments to temporarily close. However, there were a few who reportedly remained open during the earlier days of volcanic unrest to accommodate people who want to witness the phenomenon.
Tagaytay caters to 1 million tourists based on data from the Department of Tourism in 2018. The tourist destination has 285 restaurants, 64 road-side-eateries and 56 hotels. The place is also dubbed as the “wedding capital of the Philippines”.
Meanwhile, based on the latest update from PHIVOLCS, the volcano has emitted white steam-laden plumes with sulfur dioxide.
