Guidelines for migrant workers issued

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is taking measures on the impending influx of migrant workers in the province

The governor issued an executive order on Tuesday setting the guidelines for migrant sugarcane workers or “sakadas” entering the province for crop year 2021-2022.

Executive Order 21-42 Series of 2021 aims to set proactive guidelines to prevent another potential surge of COVID-19 cases in the province.

Individual planters are now required to submit the list of migrant workers who will work in the new crop season.

The list will include the names of the workers, basic information, place of assignment, and their preferred date of transport.

The list will then be endorsed to the provincial government for proper coordination.

Migrant workers upon entry to the province are required to present an approved travel coordination permit via the S-PaSS system and a negative RT-PCR test result.

Workers with no RT-PCR test result will be swabbed at the port of entry, and planters are required to deposit P1,500 to the province as donation for the purchase of RT-PCR test kits for every migrant worker who avails of the swab on arrival.

Appropriate administrative or criminal sanctions will be imposed to any person or establishment for failing to comply with the guidelines.