BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia has issued an order allowing the travel and entry into Bacolod City passengers entering through the Bacolod seaports or arriving initially at the Bacolod-Silay Airport while the city is under general community quarantine (GCQ) from October 1 to 31.
Leonardia, who signed Executive Order (EO) No. 67 on October 15, said on October 8, the Department of the Interior and Local Government-Western Visayas issued an advisory that lifted the suspension of the arrival of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) in the Province of Negros Occidental and Iloilo City.
The order is also true under a similar application on a downgraded community quarantine based on the pronouncement of the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The advisory said local government units (LGUs) must have an update of their quarantine facilities’ absorptive capacity.
On October 13, the Iloilo City Government issued Executive Order No. 163, Series of 2020, declaring the resumption of travel from Bacolod City to Iloilo City and vice versa effective October 14.
Travelers and passengers must, however, still comply with health standards, safety protocols, and use health declaration cards. Violators will be penalized.
Section 1 of the EO states that the travel will be limited to accessing essential goods and services, and for work in the offices or industries permitted to operate under the provisions of the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines with amendments as of October 8.
Travel for leisure purposes will not be allowed.
Any traveler entering or transiting through Bacolod City coming from the Bacolod-Silay Airport as an initial point of entry must comply with the health protocols of the Province of Negros Occidental upon arrival before proceeding to Bacolod City.
Travelers are strictly required to register at the ports of entry for purposes of contact tracing under the guidelines and procedures provided in City Ordinance No. 841, as a prerequisite for permitted entry into Bacolod City.
The presentation of an issued quick response (QR) code will also be required upon entry. Passengers may avail of the codes online by logging on to bactrac.bacolodcity.gov.ph. Travel agencies may also assist travelers with the system, the EO said.