Guv appeals for seaport, airport closures

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Friday appealed to national authorities to postpone the opening of seaports and airports in the province amid the continuing threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Under the latest advisory of the National Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said that starting Saturday the entire country, except Metro Manila, Laguna and Cebu, will be under General Community Quarantine which allows public transportation to operate.

“We will be facing the inevitable,” Lacson said.

Lacson said he wrote the Department of Maritime Industry, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Department of Transportation to postpone the implementation of the directive to May 31, 2020.

He cited that passenger airlines moved the resumption of domestic flights to June 1, 2020.

Lacson said that the “best model” to be implemented in the fight against COVID-19 is to “keep seaports and airports closed, until such time we can bring all the stranded Negrenses and OFWs back to the province.”

The governor said he does not know yet how far the province can keep the ports closed.

“I can’t say. As far as the airport is concerned, it is closed until May 31. The seaport is another issue,” he added.

He said that it is not the LGUs that will decide what quarantine model they will implement.

“We’re not supposed to be in quarantine anymore but because there are many mayors and governors who requested (to be placed under general community quarantine).”

Lacson also called on the mayors of the towns and cities to remove all border checkpoints in their areas to allow the free flow of traffic in the province.

However, the borders between Negros Oriental and Occidental will remain closed.