ILOILO – The municipality of Balasan has closed its borders to travelers from towns with local transmissions of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
This is a “precautionary measure,” according to Mayor Manuel Ganzon.
The people of Balasan are also prohibited from going to these towns.
Vulnerable segments of Balasan’s population have been told, too, not to go out of their houses. These are the senior citizens (above 60 years old), youngsters (below 21 years old), pregnant women, and persons who are immuno-compromised.
Ganzon’s Executive Order (EO) 2020-08-072 imposing the travel restriction did not specify the towns with local COVID-19 cases. A check with the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6, however, showed the following towns having local transmissions (as of July 23, 2020):
* 1st District – Guimbal, Igbaras, Oton, San Joaquin, Miag-ao
* 2nd District – Pavia, Alimodian, Zarraga, Santa Barbara, New Lucena
* 3rd District – Lambunao, Pototan, Badiangan, Bingawan
* 4th District – Dumangas, Barotac Nuevo, Banate, Anilao, Dueñas
* 5th District – Batad
The travel restriction took effect yesterday morning.
“DOH Western Visayas released Regional Case Bulletin No. 128 on Aug. 2, 2020 showing the province with 89 total cases of COVID-19, 30 of which are considered active,” read part of Ganzon’s EO.
These cases, and specifically the local transmissions, according to Ganzon, “signal(ed) the need for the municipality, through its local interagency task force, to take precautionary measures in addressing the current health emergency.”
Only the following are exempted from the Balasan travel ban:
* government officials and personnel travelling in the performance of their functions
* healthcare workers and medical personnel
* frontline and humanitarian service workers
* returning locally stranded individuals and returning overseas Filipinos upon coordination with the local government unit, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the provincial government
* persons providing frontline services, accompanying crew and driver of common carriers/transport vehicles (delivery trucks conducting commerce and trade in agriculture, fishing and marine services), those in scientific and academic pursuits and other basic essentials
But even these authorized personnel have requirements to fulfill: valid identification card showing proof of residence; certification from the punong barangay certifying that the person is not in the barangay’s list of COVID confirmed, probable, or suspected cases; and certificate of employment (for those working outside the municipality)./PN
