BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental reconsidered its decision to allow the reoperation of the Bacolod-Silay Airport by June 8.
It instead moved the airport’s resumption of operation to June 15 with commercial flights coming from Manila.
Charina Magallanes-Tan, spokesperson of the coronavirus disease 2919 (COVID-19) Incident Command Center, said the provincial government made this decision after conferring with flag carrier Philippine Airlines.
This move, according to Magallanes-Tan, will ensure that locally stranded individuals and returning Negrenses will be given priority in all flights.
“[The] province opted to cancel all inbound commercial flights,” Tan said. “Outbound passengers will be at the sole control of PAL.”
Tan also said that with the scheme they would be able to control the number of people coming in and make sure that only stranded individuals and Negrenses could enter the province.
“No leisure travellers yet,” she said.
Also, all individuals arriving at the airport will undergo mandatory real time-polymerase chain swab testing.
Last week, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson announced commercial flights from Manila to Negros Occidental will resume on June 8.
The provincial government, he said, has discussed with representatives of airline companies the imposition of stricter health protocols at the airport to curb the spread of the viral illness.
To help detect people possibly infected with COVID-19, Lacson said the airport will be equipped with thermal scanners that measure body temperature./PN
