The Baguio City Council approved on first reading an ordinance that will require non-Baguio residents to mandatorily register on the Baguio Visitors Information and Travel Assistance (VISITA), May 15. VISITA is the online registration system for Baguio tourists and travelers.

 

A Visita pass must be secured upon registration to enter the city and access primary tourism enterprises such as lodging services, tourist sites, and tourist transport services. For secondary enterprises such as shopping malls, restaurants, bars, gas stations, and hospitals, a pass is encouraged but not mandated. 

 

In an announcement by the Baguio Public Information Office (PIO), even attendees to conferences, organized social and government activities, and educational and sports meets are required to register.

 

The ordinance also tasks the city police and barangay officials to "randomly check" vehicles for passes. Meanwhile, barangay officials are also prompted to keep track of all tourism-oriented and tourism-related establishments. 

 

Under the proposal, the Baguio Tourism Council (BTC), the operator of the platform, will oversee all registrations. The city council ensures that BTC will secure all compiled data by complying with Republic Act (RA) 10173, or the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

 

Councilors Elmer Datuin, Vladimir Cayabas, and Lilia Farinas authored the said ordinance.

Hours after the announcement, mixed reactions were drawn–with most comments asking for the purpose of the ordinance.

— Rachel Ivy Reyes