THE Department of the Interior and Local Government Central Visayas (DILG 7) has advised locally stranded individuals (LSIs) here in the region who are bound for areas in Region 6 (Western Visayas) and the provinces of Iligan and Lanao del Sur not to proceed to any Cebu ports to avoid being stuck again.

This is according to Michael Braga, DILG 7 spokesperson.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) approved on Monday, Sept. 7, 2020, Resolution No. 69, which approved the requests of Region 6 and the provinces of Iligan and Lanao del Sur to temporarily suspend the inbound travel of LSIs.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sept. 7, placed Lanao del Sur and Bacolod City back under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from Sept. 8 to Sept. 30, following the recommendation of the IATF-MEID. Iligan City then was the only area in the country under MECQ.

Covid-19 Task Force chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez earlier recommended placing Bacolod City under MECQ because of the rising number of Covid-19 cases in the area.

He also told the President that the number of confirmed cases in Bacolod City was much higher than in Iligan City.

As of Sept. 1, a total of 7,313 inbound and 14,729 outbound passengers have passed through the Cebu Base port, records from the Cebu Port Authority showed. (WBS)