Governors to seek clarification with NIATF on testing of travelers

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said Monday that the League of Provinces of the Philippines will appeal Resolution 101 issued by the National Inter Agency Task Force (NIATF), which states that testing should not be mandatory for travelers, except when the local government unit in the area of destination will require it before arrival.

Lacson told reporters here that many governors “don’t like the way it is being proposed right now.”

The governor even admitted that he finds “very contradictory” the IATF resolution, which also states that local government units can actually impose RT-PCR tests, prior to the travel.

“We will continue to maintain our protocols. When they arrive, we will test them, and (place on) quarantine. We’re hoping that Negrenses will cooperate”, he said.

Members of the Western Visayas Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases are united in their decision to hold in abeyance the implementation of national IATF Resolution No. 101 which set uniform nationwide protocols for land, air and sea, pending clarifications, according to DILG Regional Director Jovian Engeniero.

Prior to the issuance of NIATF resolution, the provincial government of Negros Occidental required all arriving Locally Stranded Individuals to undergo reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, or swab testing, either at the Bacolod-Silay Airport or BREDCO Port in Bacolod City, to ensure that they are free from the coronavirus disease 2019.

Lacson said that “somehow, we have been able to control it already for a couple of months, in the absence of local transmission.”

He said the recent increase of 21 active cases in the province is attributed to persons coming outside of the province.

Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs) and some Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs) are adding to the number of active cases, he added.

If travelers will insist on not taking RT-PCR tests, citing NAITF resolution, Lacson said “I can pass also an EO (Executive Order) for them to take the test, prior to their arrival,” where the province can save money.

But Lacson said he wants the provincial government to do the test to ensure the legitimacy of the results, citing cases in Boracay where the results had been faked.

As to acceptance of tourists outside the province, Lacson said he may call tourism stakeholders for a meeting, if they are ready for it.

“But as it is right now, we are only encouraging domestic tourists,” he said.