Guimaras re-imposes strict border control, quarantine protocols

The Province of Guimaras will again tighten control of its borders amid rising cases of COVID-19 in Western Visayas.

Governor Samuel T. Gumarin issued Executive Order No. 63 series of 2020 adopting the enhanced Level 2 Response of the Guimaras COVID-19 Response Initiative. The order takes effect today Aug 10, 2020 until lifted by the local government.

During its meeting last Aug 6, 2020, the Guimaras COVID-19 Response Executive Committee agreed to impose stricter measures to thwart and arrest the spread of SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19.

A Guimarasnon who works for a milk tea house in Iloilo City has tested positive for the virus while two residents of the province who were identified as “close contact” of a COVID-19 patient in Iloilo City were also infected.

Gumarin stressed the need to impose stringent measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Alarming ang pagdamo sang local transmission sang virus sa mga kaiping naton nga mga lugar diri sa Western Visayas. Kinahanglan naton anay hugtan liwat ang aton mga protocols agud maproteksyunan ang mga Guimarasnon,” Gumarin said.

Under the enhanced Level 2 Response, the only designated entry points to the province are Jordan Wharf, Buenavista Wharf, and Ro-Ro Wharf in Jordan.

Sebaste Wharf in the town of Sibunag shall be limited to the outbound delivery of local produce while Puyo Wharf in Nueva Valencia and Tacay Wharf in Buenavista shall be used for delivery of incoming construction materials provided there is prior permission from the Governor.

Returning residents of the province who entered Guimaras since Aug 1, 2020 and do not show symptoms of COVID-19 shall be allowed entry and will comply with the prescribed mandatory quarantine regulations.

Guimarasnons who have not returned to the island before Aug 1, 2020 shall be subjected to 14-day mandatory home quarantine unless he/she has recent negative RT-PCR test upon entry.

The test shall be taken three days upon entry.

Non-residents who will enter Guimaras shall only be allowed entry if the purpose of travel is to transport basic commodities and necessities such as but not limited to petroleum products, medicines, and medical supplies, food, food products, and beverages, essential domestic implements/household and personal hygiene products, construction materials, agricultural and fishery products and supplies.

Non-residents shall likewise be allowed entry to the province if the purpose of travel is for emergency cases that may result in loss of life, liberty, or property.

Personnel who are employed and those who work or render services in the province shall be allowed to enter Guimaras provided that in all cases he/she is not a suspect, probable or confirmed COVID-19 case but those who would stay for a minimum of two days in the island shall be subjected to a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT).

Those who are employed, work or render services in Guimaras and visits the province thrice a week, the RDT shall be made weekly.

Guimarasnons shall only be allowed to go to Iloilo City in the case of medical referrals, emergency cases that may result in loss of life, liberty, or property.

Those who are employed, work, or render services outside the province including those who transport goods/local produce shall be allowed to travel.

However, residents who have traveled outside Guimaras three times a week shall be required a negative Rapid Diagnostic Test result every week before he/she shall be allowed to return to the province.

Guimarasnon residents who have stayed outside the province for more than two days shall be subjected to 14-day home quarantine upon return.

Only those who can comply with the requirements shall be issued an Outbound Pass and be allowed re-entry to the province and residents who are suspected, probable or a confirmed COVID-19 case shall not be allowed to travel.

Meanwhile, only non-residents with Inbound Pass shall be allowed to leave Guimaras.

Non-residents who are in the province before the implementation of the Inbound Pass policy shall secure such form from the office of the Municipal Mayor to be granted exit.

Further, trips of motor bancas and Ro-Ro vessels plying the Guimaras-Iloilo route (vice versa) will be from 4 am to 7 pm, except for motor bancas which are allowed to operate from sunrise until sunset.

Business hours for establishments shall be from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. except for health facilities and funeral parlors. Public markets may, however, open before 6 a.m.

Public transportation shall be allowed to operate from 4 a.m. until 8 p.m.