Three more NegOcc LGUs impose ban on entry of LSIs

BACOLOD City – Three more local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental were given the go-signal by the Western Visayas Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to impose a temporary ban on the entry of locally stranded individuals (LSIs).

These are Cadiz City from Nov. 2 to 6; Binalbagan, Nov. 2 to 16; and Manapla, Nov. 5 to 18.

Both Manapla and Binalbagan sent respective letters to the RIATF on Oct. 28 requesting for the approval of the moratorium while Cadiz City issued a similar letter on Oct. 26.

Officials of the three LGUs said they need to decongest, disinfect, and prepare the quarantine facilities for more batches of LSIs, and also to sustain local efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The moratorium is stated in Resolution 56 of the RIATF approved by its chair, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-6 officer-in-charge-director Juan Jovian Ingeniero.

“The Department of Health-Region 6 provided the RIATF with necessary data and poses no objection on the approval of the above-stated requests. After the moratorium on the period provided, the suspension on the arrival of LSIs is deemed lifted in the area identified,” the resolution said.

Last week, Bago City also temporarily barred LSIs for 10 days from Oct. 29 to Nov. 7 to enable the local government to prepare its quarantine facilities for more arrivals as provided in the RIATF’s Resolution 53.

On Oct. 22,  Bago sent a letter to the DILG-6, requesting for a 10-day moratorium “to give sufficient time for the preparation of (the) quarantine facilities before accommodating the new batch of LSIs”.

Two other cities in Negros Occidental have also stopped accepting LSIs to allow their localities to prepare for the return of more residents.

RIATF Resolution 50 stated that the acceptance of LSIs in Victorias City has been suspended for seven days from Oct. 23 to 30, while in San Carlos City for 14 days from Oct. 23 to Nov. 6. (PNA)