BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental will strictly implement health protocols for arriving migrant sugarcane workers or sacadas.
Provincial administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II said an estimated 29,000 sacadas are expected to arrive from Antique for the opening of the sugar milling season.
Among the health protocols required for migrant workers include showing their vaccination cards upon arrival, or a negative reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test if they are not vaccinated.
This is despite complaints by some migrant workers about delays in their arrival because of the strict verification process of their documentation, he added.
The Provincial Health Office was also ordered to monitor the arrival of the sacadas at the BREDCO Port in this city and ensure that they are fetched by their employers until they reach the sugar plantations where they will work for six months./PN
