Confusion looms over border policy between city, province

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Reports of border regulations by Iloilo City and Iloilo province on May 14, 2020 have caused some confusion among Ilonggos who sought clarification on what will really happen when both areas fall under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) on May 16.

Currently, both Iloilo City and Iloilo province are under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) which expires on May 15.

The ECQ was implemented as a response to the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The shift to GCQ was based on yet another announcement made by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on May 14 saying that areas under the ‘Low Risk’ classification in Resolution No. 35 of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will remain under GCQ.

This was a shift from the Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año’s announcement on May 13 that the region would be placed under Modified GCQ, which allows the resumption of transportation, public movement, and some businesses, among others.

On May 12, Roque announced that low-risk areas, including Western Visayas, can lift their community quarantine rules or the so-called new normal.

The Department of Health (DOH) classifies risk levels based on Case Doubling Time, or the length of time that the number of cases accelerates; and Critical Care Utilization Rate, or the rate at which the capacity of healthcare facilities in the area are utilized.

Low-Risk areas have a Case Doubling Time of more than 30 days and a Critical Care Utilization Rate of less than 30 percent.

Roque said travel between areas that are both under GCQ should be allowed.

Before Roque’s announcement, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said travel within the region will be more relaxed as border restrictions will be lifted.

Treñas added that questions on air travel should be addressed to Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., as the Iloilo International Airport is in Cabatuan town, which is outside the city.

“The whole of Western Visayas is already under MGCQ. [Traveling from] MGCQ to MGCQ, there will be no more [travel restrictions]. Those who will be coming here from the whole Panay [Island], there will be no more restrictions. With the airport, considering that that is of the Governor, when they arrive here, there are protocols that need to be followed. For areas under ECQ or Modified ECQ, like Metro Manila and Cebu, may restrictions sila,” Treñas said.

Defensor, however, said while travel between the province and Iloilo City will be open, travel into the province from other provinces in the region will still be restricted.

The governor clarified that only Iloilo residents who were stranded in other areas will be allowed to return following proper protocol. 

“Travel restrictions from outside the province should remain under the GCQ. With Iloilo City, travel will be allowed. We don’t know if the other provinces have their borders opened already. We have to protect the people in our province since we are still under quarantine. The stranded workers, like the ones in Boracay and probably Negros, we will allow them. We don’t know the extent of [COVID-19], so it’s better for us to be cautious,” Defensor said.

The governor said that he will communicate with other governors in the region once the GCQ period sets in.

Western Visayas Regional Task Force (WVRTF) spokesperson Atty. Roy Villa said that while the IATF-EID recommended relaxing travel restrictions under the GCQ, the matter should still be left to the local government units (LGUs).

“The IATF-EID is recommending in its guidelines that areas that are under GCQ can relax their travel guidelines, but then again, the LGU can determine if they want to let people in or not. We’re still not fully aware of the virus, so if the LGU wants to close its borders, they can do that if they think it’s still dangerous,” Villa said.

Villa said that the WVRTF will do its best to help harmonize GCQ policies of LGUs in the region.