BUSINESSES IN SURVIVAL MODE: Seda Atria denies shutting down amid pandemic

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

One of Iloilo’s leading hotels, Seda Atria has denied reports that it will shut down its operations amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Seda Atria’s hotel manager Joseph Del Rosario confirmed in a statement that the hotel still remains open for business.

 

“Seda Atria remains open for business,” Del Rosario said on Tuesday.

 

Seda Atria made the clarification following the announcement of Mayor Jerry Treñas that two hotels in the city have closed down due to COVID -19.

In a press conference on Wednesday, the mayor said he received information that two hotels in Iloilo City closed down because of the health crisis.

 

“Nabatian ko Mansion Hotel will be closing second week of June. And ang Seda… daw nagsira,” he said.

 

The Mansion hotel also issued a statement on the mayor’s claim.

 

“With the Hospitality industry being classified by IATF as Category IV, The Mansion wishes to convey to the general public that we are constrained to continue to cease our operations indefinitely after the lifting of the Community Quarantine of Iloilo City until such a time that the hospitality industry has recovered and the company may be able to sustain its viability.”

 

IMPACT

COVID-19 took toll on hotels, restaurants, and services sector in Iloilo City.

Strict quarantine protocols forced business establishments to temporarily shut down for almost two months as the city was placed under lockdown to prevent the spread of the disease.

Local government units (LGUs) have tried to cushion the impact on hotels by tapping them as quarantine facilities for repatriated Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

When Iloilo City downgraded its quarantine status to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) on May 16, 2020, majority of business establishments were allowed to gradually open subject to minimum health standards like physical distancing of clients.

The suspension of flights, border restrictions, and the limited movement of people under the “new normal” forced businesses to adapt and make necessary adjustments.

Iloilo Business Club (IBC) executive director Lea Lara said the hotel and tourism sector, which were severely hit by the pandemic, have been trying to cope with their loses by allowing take-outs and deliveries.

 

“Hotels and our tourism industry in general ang naapektuhan gid sang Covid-19. Subong lang nakabawi-bawi sila because they allowed take-out and adapted to online deliveries,” she said in previous interviews.

 

Earlier this year, Iloilo City and Iloilo province were both gearing up to become the prime centers of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events (MICE) in the entire country.

 

“Indi ka gid ya ka push because it’s not just us. Indi lang man Iloilo lang affected but everybody in the whole world is affected. Manugun ka but wala ka may maubra,” Lara furthered.

 

For now, Lara said the business sector in the city has been focusing on how to reopen, operate, survive, and adapt with the new protocols.

 

“Ang mindset sang negosyante is just about opening. Everybody is concerned on surviving muna. It’s really about opening muna, making sure na compliant sa minimum requirements like wearing of face shields and face masks and physical distancing,” she said.

 

In a press conference on Wednesday, Treñas stressed that he will focus on moving forward and reviving the economy of the city as it exits GCQ by June 1.

 

“We have to revive the economy, mga negosyo nga apektado, business, hotels nga nagsilira sa aton, we have to revive them. The virus will still be their but we have to look forward,” he said.

 

The mayor said he is closely coordinating with the national government on partnering with hotels to accommodate the returning OFWs and help revive the economy.