BACOLOD City – Non-resident tourists entering Sipalay City, Negros Occidental are no longer required to submit a negative rapid nasal antigen test (RNAT) result for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
This health protocol hampers the arrival of tourists and eventually impede the economic recovery of the city, Mayor Maria Gina Lizares said.
She thus issued Executive Order (EO) 2020-050 amending her Nov. 6 EO that lifted the moratorium on non-essential and tourism-related travel to Sipalay.
According to Lizares, the amendment was made to accommodate the concerns of the Sipalay City Tourism Council during a joint meeting with the city’s Intern-Agency Task Force.
Sipalay, known for white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters and breathtaking dive sites, was the province’s top contributing local government unit in terms of tourist arrivals in 2019.
In the original EO 2020-048, non-resident tourists were required to secure a copy of the negative RNAT result taken from a Department of Health-accredited testing facility on the day of travel to Sipalay, or from the City Health Office, which will conduct the test at the city gymnasium for a fee of P2,000 per person.
They may also present their valid reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction RT-PCR result instead of the RNAT result, a copy of which they were supposed to present at the checkpoint and their lodging upon check-in.
Although the negative test result was scrapped, non-resident tourists are still required to register at least three days before arrival at the City Tourism Office online registration and upload a copy of any government-issued identification card for adults or school ID for students, as well as the booking confirmation from the lodging.
Those with verified documents and information will receive an entry confirmation through email.
Aside from that, they also need to print and fill out the travel form, which should be duly signed by the village chief of the tourist’s point of origin.
The tourist must present the confirmation receipt emailed by the City Tourism Office and the accomplished travel form upon arrival at the border checkpoint for inspection and upon checking in at the lodging.
Non-resident tourists will be allowed to enter either through the Cartagena border or the Nabulao border.
Diving school students will also no longer be required to submit negative RT-PCR results. (With a report from PNA/PN)
