By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The proposed resumption of bus trips between Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental is currently not expected to be shelved despite a noted surge in COVID-19 cases in the Oriental side.
Based on Monday’s report of the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force in Negros Oriental, they confirmed a total of 855 new COVID-19 cases in one day.
Dumaguete City, the capital of Negros Oriental, recorded 229 new cases followed by the town of Sibulan with 72; Bayawan City with 70; and Canlaon City with 47.
Negros Occidental provincial administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, said even though there is a noted surge of cases in the neighboring province, they currently don’t see any reason to again shelve the proposal for bus trips to resume between the two provinces.
However, he did confirm that they have recently held a meeting with the Negros Occidental Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT) to discuss Oriental’s present surge in COVID-19 cases.
Diaz noted Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson was also present during the said meeting with the PIMT.
During the meeting, he said they assessed that there is more risk on the part of Negros Occidental in opening up the lanes of transportation between the two provinces.
“[Negros Oriental] is at Level 4, which is high risk, while we are at Level 2, which is low risk,” Diaz explained.
He noted that it is counter-productive for Negros Occidental’s campaign against COVID-19 if they allow unimpeded or unchecked travel between the two provinces.
However, he explained they are currently trying to find a solution since Negros Occidental is already open for all fully-vaccinated individuals.
“We hope soon na mag-improve ang situation nila sa Negros Oriental, kay once it is safe we will resume normal transportation within this island,” Diaz said.
He further added that at present, only private vehicles are allowed to travel between the two provinces, and travelers are required to register via the S-PaSS system and authorities are strictly checking every vehicle entering the province to make sure that they were registered.
Diaz also said they will meet again with Vallacar Transit Incorporated (VTI) once the conditions are right for opening public transportation between the two provinces.
“We are still waiting for them to come back with all the things we have requested, as we said earlier dapat masugot man to ang piyak to comply with the same protocol man sa aton,” the provincial administrator added.
Last week, Diaz confirmed they were in talks with VTI regarding the proposed resumption of bus travel between the two provinces.
The resumption of bus trips was already proposed earlier this year but was immediately shelved due to the threat of the more transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19.
Based on the conditions included in the proposal, only fully vaccinated individuals will be allowed to travel between the two provinces, while those who are unvaccinated are required to present a negative RT-PCR test result.
The trips will also be “point-to-point,” which means the bus will not be allowed to take in new passengers enroute and passengers are not allowed to disembark until reaching the terminal of their destination./DGB, WDJ