BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Sea trips from Metro Manila bound for ports in Western Visayas would resume today following the lifting of the two-week moratorium on the travel of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and Authorized Persons Outside Residents (APORs).
The 2GO Travel vessel, M/V St. Therese of the Child Jesus, left the Port of Manila at 12:36 p.m. and is scheduled to arrive at the Bredco port here at 8:40 a.m., said Lieutenant Commander Jansen Benjamin, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Negros Occidental chief.
Based on information he received from 2GO Travel, the ship is carrying a total of 60 Western Visayas-bound passengers. Four are expected to disembark in Bacolod City, while 56 are bound for Iloilo.
Benjamin said they were unable to confirm as to how many of the passengers were LSIs or APORs.
The local PCG commander, said upon arrival in Bacolod, the four disembarking passengers will pass through the usual procedures when entering Negros Occidental such as undergoing swab tests and shuttling them to the province’s quarantine facility where they will await their test results.
Aside from Manila, Benjamin also confirmed that roll-on/roll-off trips between Dumangas Port and Bredco Port will also resume. However, he pointed out only LSIs, APORs, and essential workers will be allowed and they will be required to have a “negative” COVID-19 test result.
Fastcraft services between Iloilo City and Bacolod City, meanwhile, remains suspended until further notice./PN
