Aklan eases requirements for returning residents

Returning Aklanons who are fully vaccinated will no longer be required to submit a negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result.

This as the Aklan provincial government eased the travel requirements for returning residents amid the downtrend in COVID-19 cases in the province.

Aklan Governor Florencio Miraflores issued an advisory last Oct. 21, 2021 allowing fully vaccinated residents to present their vaccination certificates in lieu of the negative RT-PCR requirement.

“Fully vaccinated returning Aklanons may submit a VaxCertPH Covid-19 vaccination certification showing full vaccination status secured from the www.vaxcert.doh.gov.ph or vaccination card issued by the local government units (LGU),” he said.

Fully vaccinated returning residents will also be exempted from mandatory quarantine, but they will still be required to submit travel coordination permit from the LGUs of their destination.

Moreover, the requirement of an approved SPASS for individuals bound for Boracay Island and Aklan mainland was also suspended until definite guidelines from concerned agencies are issued.

Other existing entry requirements for tourists and travelers remain in effect.

Currently, tourists from outside Western Visayas are still required to submit a negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test within 72 hours prior to departure when travelling to Aklan, plus the digital health declaration form for quick response (QR) codes.

This requirement however will also soon be scrapped to allow ease of entry for fully vaccinated tourists.

Miraflores has said that they target to remove the swab test requirement by the end of this month or first week of November as soon as the province has fully vaccinated its target population. (ERS)