MALAY, Aklan – The border checkpoints here have been lifted after placing travel restrictions on tourists who have been to mainland China, acting town Mayor Frolibar Bautista declared on Feb. 15.
The Malay Task Force against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reported that a total of 89 foreigners have been denied entry to the world-famous Boracay Island.
Forty-five of those foreigners did not have proper documents of travel history, while the other 39 had shown that they had been in China within the last 14 days.
The Executive Order No. 4 issued by Bautista on Feb. 6 directed the health workers and law enforcement units to monitor the entry of any persons, regardless of nationality, before entering the town of Malay and Boracay Island.
Border checkpoints were set up in the Nabas-Malay boundary and Barangay Dumlog-Sitio Bacolod in Barangay Caticlan to check the passports and travel history of visitors.
All persons travelling from or transiting to China and its Special Administrative Regions Macau and Hong Kong within the past two weeks were temporarily banned from Feb. 7 to Feb. 15 out of caution that travellers may be carriers of the deadly virus.
Effective on Feb. 16, Bautista added that travellers to Boracay Island will undergo further screening in Caticlan Port. They will be required to fill-up health declaration cards. Health personnel will also check them for common signs of the coronavirus.
Visitors coming from roll-on roll-off vessels of Batangas and Mindoro will also need to submit their health declaration cards upon arrival at the port. (With a report from Akean Forum/PN)
