By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday said the province will continue imposing its current COVID-19 travel protocols even though the National Capital Region (NCR) and its surrounding areas were de-escalated to Alert Level 2.

The NCR’s new alert level takes effect today.

According to Lacson, passengers bound for destinations in Negros Occidental will be required to present a negative rapid antigen test result within 48 hours of their scheduled departure.

The rule applies for all Negros Occidental-bound travelers entering via the Bacolod-Silay Airport in Silay City and the BREDCO Port in Bacolod City.

In case passengers cannot afford to go to a laboratory at their point of origin, Lacson said travelers will have the option to get the rapid antigen test upon their arrival instead.

He said the option must be indicated by the travelers when applying via the S-PaSS system.

He added that these requirements will be submitted to the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force.

Lacson is also expected to issue a new executive order laying down the new travel protocols which will cover from February 1 to 15, 2022.

Earlier, both Lacson and Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia agreed to ease and harmonize travel protocols.

All Bacolod City-bound travelers are no longer required to present a negative RT-PCR test result, and instead they will be asked for negative results of their rapid antigen tests taken in Department of Health-accredited clinics or laboratories not over 48 hours prior to their scheduled flight.

Other inbound travelers from outside Western Visayas and Negros Oriental will also be required to present negative rapid antigen test results regardless of vaccination status./DGB, WDJ