BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday issued an executive order (EO) requiring travelers from areas under Alert Level 3 – and even those already fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – to present negative results of their reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.
Under EO No. 21-61-A, the test must be taken not be later than 72 hours prior to the issuance of the traveler’s S-PaSS permit, and must be conducted by a Department of Health-accredited molecular laboratory.
Lacson pointed out that the fully vaccinated could still get infected with COVID-19 especially with the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
The EO also stated that air travel between Negros Occidental and areas classified under Alert Level 3 is restricted and shall be subjected to the following guidelines:
* one flight per airline company per day for Manila-Bacolod-Manila flights, but airlines may avail themselves of one additional inbound Manila-Bacolod cargo-only flight and one additional outbound Bacolod-Manila passenger flight per day; and
* one flight per airline per day for Cebu-Bacolod-Cebu flights
For sea travel between the province and areas under Alert Level 3, sea vessels shall be allowed to admit passengers up to 50 percent of its passenger capacity limit.
Earlier this week, Lacson warned that he will reimpose travel restrictions if the number of new COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila will not be contained.
Among the areas currently under Alert Level 3 are the National Capital Region and the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna.
Negros Occidental, meanwhile, is still under Alert Level 2./PN
