Lacson lauds reg’l task forces’ decision to only allow ‘essential travel’
The joint Regional Task Force (RTF) and Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) clarified yesterday that they did not declare a lockdown in Western Visayas.
The regional task forces said they merely adopted the provisions of the National IATF Resolution No. 104, dated March 20, 2021, wherein only “essential travelers” from National Capital Region (NCR) and its bubble circuit that includes Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal shall be allowed to travel into and outside Western Visayas from March 23 to April 4, 2021.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, meanwhile, lauded the decision of the RTF and RIATF.
According to Lacson, the decision seemed to have answered their request to NIATF for a two-week travel moratorium in the province, although he made it clear that the decision was in no way connected to his letter.
“We expect less travel and less people entering the province,” Lacson said.
The governor said despite the new restrictions, Negrenses are still allowed to leave the province, while cargoes originating from the NCR and the other affected provinces are still allowed to enter the province unimpeded.
Lacson said the new order does not cover travel within Western Visayas, as well as neighboring Cebu province.
“Yes this is okay, but they didn’t answer my letter,” Lacson said.
He also said the next thing for him to do now is to insist to the NIATF for Negros Occidental to return to their previous entry protocols, wherein travelers are required to undergo swabbing and quarantine upon their arrival in the province.
“I want the testing done here, but I have to ask the NIATF again,” he added.
Based on the RTF and RIATF’s joint resolution, among those tagged for essential travel are the following:
- health and emergency frontline services personnel
- government officials and government frontline personnel
- duly-authorized humanitarian assistance actors
- persons travelling for humanitarian or medical reasons
- persons going to the airport for travel abroad
- anyone crossing zones for work or business and going back home
- returning overseas Filipinos and overseas Filipino workers.
All other travelers coming from outside the NCR and the other subject provinces listed in the NIATF’s protocols are allowed entry into Western Visayas, subject to health protocols.
All flights and sea travel in the region are also unaffected and remain in normal operations./DGB, WDJ