BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental has drawn up entry protocols once airports and seaports reopen by June.
In a letter dated May 22, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson relayed the proposed protocols to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Among the protocols were the following:
* Limit the number of plane or ship passengers to the capacity of quarantine facilities in the province.
* Arriving passengers must stay in quarantine facilities until results of their tests show them negative for coronavirus
* Tickets for airlines, ships, ro-ro vessels and fastcraft would be sold only to persons with certificates of acceptance from the provincial government
* Priority is given to Negrense residents and workers in essential businesses
* Arriving passengers would be required to fill out an information form detailing their travel history and health records.
Earlier, Lacson said the provincial government was preparing for the possible lifting of the general community quarantine. However, even if the national Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases is likely to declare the province as a “no community quarantine” area, he said the provincial government may request an extension to the suspension of air and sea travel.
In the meantime, Lacson said they are closely monitoring other provincial governments also in favor of keeping air and sea travel shutdown.
He added, “The more provinces request to remain under a general quarantine, the more chances that Negros Occidental will also get the status.”
The task force placed Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, under a general community quarantine after identifying the province as “low risk” for coronavirus infection./PN
