BACOLOD City – Operators of fast crafts plying the cities of Iloilo and Bacolod and vice versa are eyeing to resume trips.
That is if Iloilo City would welcome inbound travelers fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) sans negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results at their entry point, according to Frank Carbon, manager of Weesam Express.
“Wala pa biyahe. Hulat pa kami EOs (executive orders) ni Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Mayor Jerry Treñas (Bacolod and Iloilo City, respectively).Their EOs must be synchronized,” said Carbon.
But last night, Leonardia already gave the go signal for such an adjustment.
“(A)ll travelers bound for Bacolod City, whether coming in by land, sea, or air, including those from Panay Island and Guimaras, who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 shall no longer be required to present a negative RT-PCR test result,” read part of Leonardia’s EO.
However, travelers bound for this city are still required to present the online BacTrac registration, online health declaration, SPass travel coordination permit, and valid identification card.
In Negros Occidental, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said fully vaccinated individuals with authenticated Quick Response (QR) identification cards are now allowed entry sans RT-PCR test result.
The travel protocol has already been approved by the National Inter-Agency Task Force, said Diaz.
Citing an executive order issued by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Diaz said travelers would still be required to register via the S-PaSS system. They would be given the option to either post their negative RT-PCR test result or their vaccination card.
Treñas, on the other hand, said he would look into the proposed adjustment.
According to Carbon, fast craft operators lost “hundreds of millions” of revenues and the workers their income and livelihood when trips were suspended due to pandemic-induced lockdowns.
On Oct. 16, Iloilo City would shift into a general community quarantine (GCQ) while Bacolod will remain under GCQ with heightened restrictions./PN
