Border controls in NegOcc remain despite GCQ status

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City- Provincial Incident Management Team head Zeaphard Caelian said that border controls in Negros Occidental remain the same despite the province quarantine status being escalated to the stricter General Community Quarantine (GCQ).

Caelian said even before the recent declaration of the GCQ, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson had already released an order for stringent border controls to curb the spread of COVID-19.

He stressed that incoming travelers and returning residents from outside Region 6 are required to secure documents via the S-PaSS system, registering via the StaySafe.ph contact tracing app, and 72-hour negative RT-PCR test result.

Caelian also said that “returning residents should stop fooling yourselves by securing fake documents and RT-PCR tests from unscrupulous people,” Caelian said.

“It would still be the same if you arrive we will still swab you. Not only are you putting yourself and everybody else in danger if you test positive for COVID-19, but you will also be held responsible for bringing the virus to the province,” Caelian pointed out.

Caelian appealed for travelers to cooperate as the province’s protocol is for everyone’s safety.

Aside from the border control being the same, the curfew hours remain unchanged in the GCQ status.

Negros Occidental is under GCQ status until July 31 of this year.

As of June 30, Negros Occidental has 35 new coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 cases.