BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The number of flights between Manila and this city would be increased starting Nov. 15 until the end of the month, according to Negros Occidental’s Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz.
He said the provincial government would allow one scheduled flight daily per airline.
“So that’s three flights,” Diaz said, citing the Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines and AirAsia Philippines that are serving the Manila-Bacolod route.
With the increase in flight frequencies, Diaz hopes the current airline fare will decrease.
Entry requirements will also remain the same: the S-PaSS system registration and a vaccination card or a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result taken 72 hours prior to travel.
As to the S-PaSS system, Diaz said there were complaints of local government units (LGUs) in the province delayed in their response to the travelers’ applications for entry.
The provincial government will now handle the acceptance or denial of entry for travelers via the S-PaSS system, according to Diaz.
Diaz also warned “fakers” of travel documents, saying they could face charges.
They will also be brought to a quarantine facility and wait for at least seven days before undergoing swabbing, Diaz added.
Meanwhile, an influx in returning residents is expected come holiday season, said Diaz.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson will issue an executive order in light of the increase in flight frequencies anytime this week.
Diaz said it would also include the new shortened general curfew from 12 midnight to 4 a.m. (adults) and from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. (minors)./PN
