Traveling individuals who belong to the same household, especially families with minors are allowed to share a room when undergoing quarantine in hotels, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Thursday.

Tourism chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the agency received reports that some DOT-accredited establishments operating as quarantine hotels have been implementing a one-room-one-person policy even for travelers coming from the same household.

“While the Department is aware of the downturns that the pandemic brought to the tourism industry, particularly the accommodation sector, we would like to reiterate that all DOT-accredited establishments must strictly follow the guidelines released by the Department to avoid confusion among travelers who need to quarantine,” she said in a statement.

Based on DOT Administrative Order No. 2021-004-A, single occupancy is required for quarantine guests from different households.

But DOT said room sharing is encouraged for quarantine guests belonging to the same household and guests requiring a companion, such as minors, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, or as may be prescribed by the Department of Health (DOH) or the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ).

The agency noted that the administrative order was issued with the approval of the DOH and the BOQ and acknowledged by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

“We all share the same struggles but it is imperative that we implement the right policies to help our kababayans who want to return to the country,” Romulo-Puyat said. “If we want to fast-track the recovery of the industry, tourism stakeholders should also help the Department in properly implementing such measures. We need your continued support as we see more Filipino travelers wanting to return home.” (PNA)