A Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) advisory from before the new year celebrations has garnered negative responses from the local populace for its perceived tone-deafness.
On December 29th, the BCPO issued an advisory “encouraging” locals to only go out for essential travel so as to not exacerbate the traffic problem in the city. This advisory was then echoed by the Baguio City Public Information Office (PIO), where it was met with widespread criticism.
The post came as local resident irritation and frustration over tourists is already at an all-time high. Studies earlier in 2024 showed increasing levels of negativity towards the city’s tourism situation, according to the Doxey irritation index, a tool to measure the negative sentiment of locals to tourists and tourism activities.
All the while, the increasing tourist population according to the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) is stretching the city’s capacity to provide basic needs and services. As early as 2016, all of the following metrics have exceeded the threshold value for carrying capacity in the city: urban road area, solid waste collection, water supply, liquid waste treatment, open space, land for development, forest cover, and green space.
On the PIO post alone, more than 1,100 of the roughly 1,500 reactions were in the negative, with more than 600 comments, where majority of the top comments in terms of engagement were critical of the announcement. The post was then shared hundreds of times to other pages and feeds, where it garnered similar reactions.
“The audacity to ask its own residents to stay at home while wishing outsiders to enjoy our own city. Truly, the local leaders aren’t committed to serving their own people,” said one local.
Many other comments share the sentiment, with many criticizing the seeming prioritization of tourist experience over resident well-being with varying levels of hostility.
Others also suggested that the city instead implement tourist control measures rather than tell its residents to give way for the tourist populace.
