After Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson ordered the closure of the province’s borders, ports, and airports until April 14 due to ongoing concerns surrounding the coronavirus disease, of Covid-19, provincial administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, said the provincial government will allow entry to residents of the province returning home from other places as long as they can provide identification showing their address.
The provincial official explained, the restriction only covers non-residents of the province even if they are not showing symptoms of the virus. However, he pointed out, those returning home will be placed on a 14-day quarantine and would be endorsed to their respective barangay officials, who will then order local health workers to monitor the individual.
The provincial government has also placed checkpoints along the province’s entry and exit points such as the roads between Mabinay-Kabankalan City, Bayawan-Hinoba-an, San Carlos City-Vallehermoso, and La Castellana-Canlaon City.
Last Sunday, the governor issued Executive Order No. 20-15 which effectively sealed the province’s borders.
The order states: “The entry of persons shall be restricted except all duly identified residents of the province, its cities and municipalities, health workers responding to emergency, members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), all branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), persons travelling for urgent medical or humanitarian reasons, and persons transporting essential goods, supplies, and medicines.”
The directive also activated the Inter-Agency Against Coronavirus Disease, Border Monitoring, and Regulation Task Force, which will be composed of representatives from local government units, barangays, the PNP, AFP, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), will be tasked with defending provincial borders by setting up checkpoints and prevent the entry of individuals not allowed under the said order./DGB, WDJ