Two-week ban on non-essential travel

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – A two-week ban on non-essential travel from Negros Oriental to Negros Occidental is in force.

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he and the mayors in the province agreed to impose the ban prohibiting non-essential travel from Negros Oriental to Occidental for two weeks.

“We are not allowing non-essential travel. But for Iloilo, Panay and Negros Occidental, we will keep it open,” Lacson said.

Lacson, who presided over a zoom meeting with Negros Occidental local chief executives yesterday, made the declaration in response to the recommendations of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Western Visayas to close the borders or ports of entry in Negros Occidental to non-essential travel for two weeks.

Non-essential establishments, however, will continue to open in the same period, with 30 percent of the venue capacity allowed, he added.

Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion said yesterday that Negros Oriental logged 1,837 active cases.

Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said that Lacson is also leaving it to the discretion of mayors if they will restore border checkpoints in their areas and implement minimum health protocols.

“We cannot prevent people from entering our jurisdiction, but we should monitor their movements. In the case of Cadiz City, we cannot control the entry, especially of big fishing boats. But we will strictly implement the wearing of face masks of those who are not from the city but have transactions here,” Escalante said.

Escalante, who participated in the zoom meeting, said Lacson also stressed the need to be “very strict” in the implementation of border controls, saying LGUs need to provide personnel manning the checkpoints while the Capitol will augment manpower if there is a need.

While delivery of essential goods through Cadiz port remains unhampered, Escalante said that crew members of any vessel are not being allowed to disembark, adding that they are assigning people to purchase their needs.

“For those coming from Manila or outside Western Visayas, we will require them to show SPass and StaySafe as well as negative RT-PCR test results,” he added.

Negros Occidental mayors also agreed to close all beaches and mountain resorts on the Feast of St. John the Baptist, from June 24 to 26, Escalante said.