By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The provincial government of Negros Occidental is currently expecting the arrival of 1,500 additional sugar migratory workers or “sacadas.”

Dr. Zeaphard Caelian, head of the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division and head of the provincial inter-agency task force, said based on their data, around 3,110 sacadas have already arrived in the province ever since the milling season began in September.

The sacadas are assigned to work on the vast sugar plantations in the province, particularly in the cities of Kabankalan, Silay and Talisay and the town of Isabela.

Last Friday, Caelian said 40 workers arrived at the Bredco port in Bacolod City from the province of Aklan.

Under the current protocols of the provincial government, all sacadas are required to undergo swab tests upon arrival in Bacolod City and immediately transported to their barracks while awaiting the results.

Those who test negative will be allowed to go to work, while those who test positive will be picked up and transported to a quarantine facility.

As of September of this year, 13 sacadas have tested positive for COVID-19./DGB, WDJ