DOT received more reports of alleged hotel quarantine breach before Makati incident

The Department of Tourism had received more reports of alleged quarantine breach in hotels even before the incident in Makati City, DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said on Monday.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, Puyat said authorities were not able to look into these reports because the names of concerned individuals were not disclosed.

“Marami na ring nagkukuwento sa amin pero walang pangalan na ibinibigay. Lagi naman kaming humihingi ng pangalan ng hotel or ng tao na supposedly nag-skip ng quarantine,” she said.

(Many told us stories but they were not giving us names. We always ask for the names of hotels or people who supposedly skipped quarantine.)

She made the statement when asked if the incident in Makati City was just an isolated case or already an eye-opener on what is happening in quarantine hotels.

On December 23, 2021, a returning overseas Filipino from the United States skipped hotel quarantine to attend a party and visit restaurants in Poblacion, Makati. On December 27, she tested positive for COVID-19.

Her fellow party-goers and some patrons and staff of a restaurant later tested positive for the disease.

Puyat pointed out that it was the first time that the name of the alleged quarantine skipper was disclosed. Due to this, authorities were able to trace the person and the hotel.

The Berjaya Makati Hotel, the hotel where the returning overseas Filipino was reported to have skipped her quarantine, on Saturday apologized for the incident, saying it was a "very serious breach" amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, the Berjaya Makati Hotel management confirmed reports that a Filipino traveler from the United States did not undergo hotel quarantine and even attended a party in Makati.

The Berjaya Makati Hotel said it strives to be fully compliant with the government's COVID-19 rules and protocols.

It added it was fully cooperating with all government agencies investigating the incident.

Puyat encouraged those who will report about breach in quarantine protocols to give the names of the violator as well as the hotel so they can act on the matter. —KG, GMA News