THE ban on sea travel for locally stranded individuals (LSIs) from Bato Port in Samboan, Cebu, to Tampi Port in Amlan, Negros Oriental has been extended until September 23.

The Negros Oriental Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) is set to meet with mayors next week to discuss strategies in seeking the Samboan local government unit's (LGU) lifting of the ban, said Adrian Sedillo, IATF executive director on Thursday, September 10.

The Samboan LGU imposed the ban for LSIs traveling to and from Negros Oriental via the Bato Port last month after the Cebu town logged a number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases.

The town's IATF had noted that some LGUs in Negros Oriental allegedly refused to receive their returning LSIs from Cebu, thus many of them were stranded at the Bato Port, posing a potential risk to the transmission of the virus.

The last trip for LSIs from Bato to Tampi via the Maayo Shipping Lines barges was on August 12.

In its latest advisory, the Samboan LGU said it was extending the closure of all its seaports, particularly the Bato Port, and only cargo trucks, essential goods, and authorized persons outside of residence (Apors) were allowed travel between the two ports.

Sedillo said the meeting next week will hopefully result in an agreement beneficial to both Samboan and Negros Oriental as LSIs who want to return to Negros Oriental currently have no option but to take the slow boat from Cebu City or sweeper flights and the 2GO vessel from Manila. (PNA)