BACOLOD City – Authorized persons outside residence (APORs) going in and out this city are potential carriers of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
This was the assertion of Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, saying APORs are more dangerous compared to returning locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
APOR status only allows one to travel for purposes of work without having to obtain a travel authority from the Philippine National Police.
Familiaran pointed out that repatriated LSIs and OFWs are required to undergo swab testing and observe the mandatory 14-day quarantine while APORs can enter and leave this city anytime.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia, therefore, instructed the City Health Office to conduct swab testing to APORs who would enter Bacolod. This, however, would only be voluntary as there was no formal executive order issued, Familiaran added.
He appealed to business owners in this city to only employ residents of this city to further prevent the transmission of the virus.
A male APOR from Cebu working in a telecommunications company here tested positive for COVID-19 recently. The neighborhood where he currently resides was placed on a lockdown./PN
