By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson confirmed yesterday morning that he will hold a virtual meeting with Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia tomorrow.

This comes after Leonardia called for an audience with Lacson in order to harmonize travel protocols amid the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the country.

According to Lacson, he has sent his reply letter to Leonardia approving the talks.

The 31 heads of local government units in Negros Occidental are also expected to join the virtual meeting.

Lacson added that he had already consulted the Provincial Incident Management Team and representatives from the province’s medical sector and they all recommended that the province should continue with the strict travel protocols on travelers originating from areas under Alert Level 3.

However, Lacson acknowledged that the provincial government is also seriously considering the letter forwarded by the Bacolod City mayor which calls for a less restrictive travel protocol and implementing rapid antigen tests instead.

After Friday it is expected that Lacson and Leonardia will release their consensus to harmonize the city and the province’s travel protocols./DGB, WDJ