DOT reduces suspension period after Berjaya Makati Hotel appeals penalties from Poblacion Girl quarantine breach

The Makati City government serves the closure order on Berjaya Hotel Makati. (Photo by Chona Yu/Radyo Inquirer

The Department of Tourism (DOT) reduced the period of suspension of operations of the Berjaya Makati Hotel, which gained notoriety after one of its guests left the establishment while under COVID-19 quarantine, breaching government rules.

In a Jan. 19 letter addressed to Makati Mayor Abigail Binay, the DOT said it cut the suspension of the hotel’s accreditation from three months to two months.

Moreover, the DOT maintained its order revoking Berjaya Makati’s authority to operate as a multi-purpose hotel.

The DOT also slapped the hotel operator with a P13,200 fine.

The modified order came after Berjaya Makati appealed an earlier DOT ruling that found the hotel liable for violating health and safety protocols that were crafted by the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force and DOT.

The DOT said in the letter that “only hotels or accommodation establishments with valid DOT accreditation shall be allowed to accommodate guests and clients subject to guidelines issued by the Department of Tourism and the IATF.”

“In this regard, an in view of the attached resolution which is now executory, we respectfully request that the office of the good mayor take appropriate action in relation to the suspension of Berjaya Makati Hotel’s business permit,” the DOT letter read.

The punishment was in response to an incident involving a guest who arrived from the United States and breached her quarantine to attend a party in the nearby Poblacion district.

The guest, who earned the nickname Poblacion Girl after a video of her partying went viral, was also positive for COVID-19.

The Berjaya Makati Hotel’s management earlier challenged the Makati City’s closure order, saying in a statement this was “without legal basis.” They also argued no law penalizes hotels for guests that breach quarantine rules.