NegOcc, Bacolod clash on SPaSS

By Dolly Yasa

The provincial government of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City are on opposite sides in requiring inbound travelers to subscribe to the S-PaSS.

The provincial government of Negros Occidental stood pat in its decision of requiring S-PaSS to all inbound travelers, Provincial Inter Agency Task Force action officer Rayfrando Diaz said.

On the other hand, Emergency Operations Center-Task Force Executive Director Em Legaspi-Ang and Bacolod City Councilor Cindy Rojas announced in their respective social media accounts that S-PaSS is no longer required for fully-vaccinated, Bacolod-bound passengers travelling by land, sea or air.

S-PaSS is the Safe, Swift and Smart way to facilitate travels to provinces and cities with travel restriction.

Negros Occidental and highly-urbanized Bacolod City are both under Alert Level 2.

In her Facebook Page post, Ang reiterated that all fully-vaccinated passengers only need to present their vaccination card when traveling to Bacolod City.

Rojas said Bacolod City travelers, whether returning residents or Overseas Workers, APOR (Authorized Person Outside Residence), or those visiting Bacolod City, need only to present fully vaccinated cards.

But Diaz questioned the declarations of Ang and Rojas, stressing that the S-PaSS is the mode by which travelers are able to upload all of their documentations for proper recordings where vaccination cards and negative RT-PCR test results are being checked.

Diaz said that as stipulated in the executive order issued by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, S-PaSS will be checked upon arrival at any point of entry in Negros Occidental, regardless of destination, which is in harmony of the National Inter Agency Task Force resolution 101.

NIATF did not lift the S-PaSS requirements, he added.

“We are trying to protect the safety of our passengers and also all residents of Negros Occidental, including that of Bacolod City,” Diaz said.

Ang earlier called port managers to follow the guidelines set by Executive Order No. 53 issued by Mayor Evelio Leonardia that allows travel into Bacolod City without the need for an S-PaSS since the local government was placed under Alert Level 2 from November 15 to 30.

“I think the announcements of Ang and Rojas are all misleading,” Diaz said.

He added that ” they want passengers to believe that Bacolod City is safe, and there is no need for S-PaSS anymore.”

Diaz contended that it is “unwise” as of this time to waive the S-PaSS requirements, stressing that Alert Level 2 classification is only temporary, as it might be changed later.

It is not wise for us to let our guards down, and allow unimpeded travel without protocols, Diaz further said.

He also pointed out that it is stipulated also in the NIATF issued rules and regulations that if a traveler has to pass through different local government units, he cannot disregard the protocols of LGUs.

The Bacolod-Silay Airport is located in Silay City, which is among the component cities of Negros Occidental, while Bacolod is a highly urbanized city.

Diaz also said that “if you check the S-PaSS application, Bacolod City is still under restricted classification.”

“If they are ‘restricted’ then these things will have to be complied with. If they are ‘unrestricted’ then we would not have any problem approving the permits of all the passengers going to Bacolod City,” he further said.