BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Local authorities in Negros Occidental are urging Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs) to follow health protocols when entering the province to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the provincial government welcomes APORS returning home, visiting loved ones or vacationing after serving as frontliners in their areas of assignment.
However, they must follow all guidelines imposed to ensure the safety of Negrenses.
Diaz also disclosed that the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO) was able to tracked down four of the seven APORS who refused to be swabbed at the Bacolod-Silay Airport on Tuesday.
The four claimed they refused to be swabbed at the airport believing they were exempted.
Diaz said the four have already been subjected to swabbing and have been placed on hotel quarantine.
The contact tracing team is now tracking three other APORs so they will comply with the health protocols of the province, he added.
Earlier, Diaz threatened to arrest the APORs for refusing to comply with the swab test protocols.
The seven allegedly presented a letter from the city councilor allowing them entry.
Diaz identified them as Charle Magne Andres, Dexter Claveria Aquino, Marlo Federiso and Johnny Yanes of DC Aquino Land Surveying Services, and Jestoni Absin Mangulabnan, Froillan Cris Timplanza Tungol, and Jim Batiduan Valerio of Pax Cable Inc.
Negros Occidental has an existing health protocol that all those who intend to enter the province, including APORs, are required to undergo swabbing at the airport./PN
