By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson confirmed yesterday that the province’s borders with Negros Oriental and Cebu will also be reopened but with certain requirements for entry.
According to Lacson, travelers coming from Negros Oriental and Cebu will be required to secure a negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result at least 72 hours prior to traveling to Negros Occidental.
Prior to reopening the border with Region VII, Lacson said he will call for a meeting with the transport sector in order to discuss how to effectively implement Resolution No. 101 issued by the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) which introduced uniform travel protocols.
Lacson added the precautions that they will introduce aims to control the number of COVID-19 cases since most of the requirements for travelers such as medical certificates and travel authority passes have already been removed.
Even though some of the travel restrictions have already been removed, Lacson said the border control points between San Carlos City and Vallehermoso and the Kabankalan-Mabinay border will also continue operating.
Under the provincial government’s Executive Order signed by Lacson over the weekend, travelers bound for Negros Occidental need to secure an S-Pass permit, as well registering on StaySafe.PH.
Travelers within Western Visayas are no longer required to secure an RT-PCR test result, and inbound travelers need to undergo a seven-day home quarantine in their local government unit of destination.
Under NIATF Resolution No. 101, travelers would no longer be compelled to go on quarantine unless they exhibit symptoms upon arrival.
Travelers are also no longer required to secure travel authorities or health certificates.
Authorized persons outside residence from national government agencies and their attached agencies, on the other hand, must show their identification cards, travel orders and itineraries.
They must likewise pass symptom-screening at the ports of entry and exit./DGB, WDJ