Malay ends COVID-19 border checkpoints

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Malay local government unit (LGU) in Aklan announced on Feb 15, 202 that it will terminate all border checkpoints effective Feb. 16.

Acting Municipal Mayor Frolibar Bautista issued Executive Order No. 5, series of 2020 which lifted the implementation of Executive Orders No. 4 and 4-A, which imposed the border checkpoints in reaction to the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak .

Frolibar issued EO No. 04 series of 2020 which “temporarily suspended the entry of all persons with travel history to China, Hong Kong and Macau for the past 14 days” to keep Malay, particularly Boracay Island, free of COVID-19.

The order was also meant to implement “other precautionary measures to combat the spread of the disease.

According to EO No. 5, Feb. 15 is the 15th day since China imposed its lockdown, thus the need to end the border checkpoints. The time frame also falls within the 14-day quarantine imposed on persons who travelled to COVID-19 affected areas.

It added that “there are still no flights from China going to the Philippines and today also marks the end of the 14-day incubation period imposed by the Department of Health for persons with travel history to China, Macau, and Hong Kong.”

The Malay local government stressed that there are no confirmed cases or Persons Under Investigation (PUI) in its area.

According to the Municipal Tourism Office, it recorded 3,697 tourist arrivals on Feb 14, Valentine’s Day.

“The Local Government Unit of Malay is very grateful for your cooperation and understanding in our intervention to keep the Malaynon community safe from Corona Virus Disease-19 or COVID-19. Please be informed that continuous monitoring for those with symptoms will still be strictly implemented at Caticlan Jetty Port,” the announcement added.

Last week, at least 13 tourists were “caught” by members of the Border Patrol stationed in the boundary of Nabas and Malay towns.

The Border Patrols are composite team from the local police station, the PNP mobile force company, Philippine Army, Municipal Auxiliary Police, Malay Municipal Health Office and Municipal Tourism Office.

Members of Border Patrol flagged down tourist vans, buses, and even private vehicles to check on their documents if they made any recent trip to the areas mentioned.