Iloilo province imposes border checkpoints

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) will also mount border control checkpoints, too, as COVID-19 cases spike.

Colonel Gilbert Gorero, Iloilo police chief, said the border checkpoints would be in effect June 4-18, 2021.

The move is in keeping with Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.’s order to restrict non-essential travel within and into the province of Iloilo.

An individual cannot pass through border control checkpoints if they fail to present a travel pass.

Gorero said they will put up these checkpoints at Iloilo’s municipal and provincial boundaries.

Travel passes can be secured from the barangay or municipal government.

In Executive Order No. 175, Defensor imposed strict municipal quarantine whereby non-essential travel into and from all the municipalities and Passi City shall be restricted.

Only the authorized persons outside their residences (APORs) will be allowed to travel within the province.

APORs, returning residents, and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are still allowed into the province.

APORs include health and emergency frontline services personnel; government officials and government frontline personnel; duly authorized humanitarian assistance actors (HAAs); persons traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons; persons going to and from the airport; persons crossing zones for work or business, activities, and going back home; and public utility vehicle operators.

APORS from the national government agencies and other offices shall present Government Travel Pass.

The travel pass shall contain the following data:

* name of government office/LGU/company/employer;

* office/company/employer address and contact number;

* name of employee;

* address of employee;

* purpose of travel; and

* name and signature of issuing officer.

Other APORs working or doing business shall secure an LGU Travel Pass from the municipal or city mayor.

Defensor earlier underscored the need to control the movement of people in the province due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.

As of June 1, Department of Health-6 data indicated that the province logged 1,337 active cases. Its cumulative tally is 7,685 with 6,159 recoveries and 188 deaths. (With reports from Capitol news)