THE Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF) has endorsed the seven-day travel moratorium to Negros Occidental requested by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas.

In the request, Treñas said, "The motion of the city was joined by the province of Iloilo and concurred by Negros Occidental and all the other government agencies. It was unanimously approved and will be endorsed to the national IATF for proper disposition."

Exceptions would be for uniformed personnel and medical and humanitarian reasons, the mayor said.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the resolution means that non-essential travel is not allowed.

Travel of cargos will remain unimpeded, Lacson said.

The governor said Treñas cited the continuing increase in Covid-19 cases in Iloilo City and their health service getting overwhelmed soon if left unchecked.

Lacson said the resolution will be endorsed to the national IATF for approval.

In a post on his Facebook account on Saturday, May 15, 2021, Treñas said "Our cases are increasing, our quarantine facilities are getting full and it is getting increasingly difficult to get to the hospitals for Covid cases."

He also called on hospitals to increase their capacities for Covid as Iloilo City is experiencing a surge in cases.

"We are considering to request for MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) status since heath care facilities are almost overwhelmed and cases are going up," Treñas said.

As for the increasing number of new Covid-19 cases in Negros Occidental, Lacson said "it is still manageable."

"But [it] can be out of control if we become complacent," he said.