MANILA’s historic Walled City of Intramuros will open two of its most popular sites to visitors today, May 17, following the easing of quarantine restrictions in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces.
Department of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said Fort Santiago and Baluarte de San Diego, two of the walled city’s most popular attractions, will be open to limited capacity and shortened operating hours under strict health and safety guidelines. This decision came following the decision of the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to place the National Capital Region and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, collectively known as NCR Plus, under a General Community Quarantine with heightened restrictions.
Based on the IATF guidelines, tourist attractions can now operate at 30% of the venue capacity, subject to strict compliance with health and safety protocols. But Fort Santiago will accommodate only 200 visitors at a time while the Baluarte de San Diego will allow a maximum of 100 persons at a time, which are both below the 30% threshold but are deemed essential to ensure monitoring of proper protocols.
Fort Santiago will be open daily from 9 a.m. with last entry for visitors at 6:30 p.m. The Baluarte de San Diego garden will be open to the general public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be a mandatory screening of temperature and symptoms, and sanitizing practices. All guests must register their visit through a QR code system for contact tracing prior to entry. Intramuros visitors must observe the minimum public health standards.
The dungeons, Museo ni Rizal, ASEAN Gardens, and some other sites within the two areas are still off-limits to visitors.
The entrance fee, which may be paid in cash or via Beep card or PayMaya, is P75. Seniors, students, and persons with disabilities may pay the discounted price of P50. The sites are limited to visitors aged 18 to 65 in compliance with the age restrictions set by the IATF.
Fort Santiago is one of the country’s most visited tourist destinations as is Baluarte de San Diego. The Walled City was visited by 3.3 million people in 2019.