Ceres buses resume interisland trips

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI) media relations officer Jade Seballos said Monday that the firm, which  manages Ceres Liner passenger buses, has resumed limited trips to Negros Oriental and Cebu, respectively, on Nov 20, 2021 with strict implementation of mandated health protocols.

“So far, so good,” Seballos said when asked on feedback from passengers on resumption of Ceres Liner bus trips to Dumaguete City and Cebu.

She also said that in anticipation of the resumption of Dumaguete City and Cebu trips from Bacolod City, all the drivers and fare collectors are fully vaccinated.

Only vehicles from the VTI Bacolod South Branch will be allowed to transport passengers to Dumaguete City and Cebu.

Seballos said VTI buses are only allowed to accommodate 70 percent of passenger capacity. The passengers will only be allowed to board at the terminals.

The VTI management is also required to submit passenger manifests to local government units for monitoring and contact tracing.

Earlier, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson issued an executive order setting the guidelines for all incoming passengers plying the Dumaguete City- Bacolod City route via Mabinay, Bacolod to Cebu via Mabinay and Bacolod to Cebu via Don Salvador Benedicto.

This, after both provincial governments of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental agreed to implement uniform health protocols in allowing the resumption of bus trips between the two provinces.

Fully vaccinated individuals are required to present an S-PaSS, and verifiable COVID-19 vaccination cards or certificates of vaccination.

Those who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated should present an S-PaSS and a negative RT-PCR test result to travel.

Lacson warned individuals against using or presenting fake documents.

He said they will be subjected to 14-day quarantine and must undergo RT-PCR tests on the fifth day from their arrival at their own expense.

Only vehicles from the VTI Bacolod South Branch will be allowed to transport passengers to Dumaguete City and Cebu.

S-PaSS scanning and verification of incoming passengers will be done at all borders and ports of entry, Lacson said.