LIKE in Negros Occidental, travelers who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) are now allowed to enter Bacolod City without a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result.
Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, in his Executive Order No. 49 dated October 12 but was issued Wednesday night, October 13, 2021, said those who are traveling to Bacolod City either by air, land or sea, including those coming from Panay and Guimaras Islands who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, shall no longer be required to present a negative RT-PCR test result.
They may present a vaccination card or certificate duly issued by a legitimate vaccinating establishment or authority whether local or foreign in lieu of negative RT-PCR test results to show proof that they are fully vaccinated.
In the absence of a vaccination card or certificate, Leonardia said a traveler can instead show a certificate of quarantine completion showing his or her full vaccination status as issued by the Bureau of Quarantine.
In-bound travelers who are non-residents of Bacolod may use as sufficient proof the Covid-19 vaccination cards issued by legitimate vaccination authorities such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and any qualified national or foreign government agency.
Leonardia said this is in consonance with the Inter-Agency Task Force regulations and considering the ongoing improvements on the system for verification.
For the in-bound residents of Bacolod City, presentation of their vaccination cards duly issued by the Bacolod City Health authority may suffice in lieu of any of the stated vaccination documentation, the mayor further said.
Under the order, those who will apply for SPass Travel Coordination Permit but are not vaccinated against Covid-19 or those who do not strictly comply with the definition of a fully vaccinated individual shall still be required to present a negative RT-PCR test result obtained within 72 hours prior to arrival in Bacolod City.
Leonardia warned that any individual who will present forged and/or a falsified vaccination card or certification shall be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Other requirements that travelers bound for Bacolod City, whether they are vaccinated or not, should still present requirements including BaCTrac registration, online health declaration, and valid personal identification cards.
Earlier this week, the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental has started easing travel restrictions by allowing fully vaccinated travelers to enter the province without a negative RT-PCR test result.
As of October 12, the Department of Health (DOH) - Western Visayas has retained the Covid-19 classification of Bacolod City under Alert Level 4 while Negros Occidental, which previously had the same classification, slid back to Alert Level 3.
Both Bacolod and Negros Occidental, however, are at high risk in terms of transmission, the regional line agency reported.
The Average Daily Attack Rate (Adar) or the number of new cases over the past 14 days per 100,000 population in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City is at 7.49 percent and 21.03 percent, respectively.
Bacolod and Negros Occidental’s two-week growth rate decreased by two percent and 19 percent, respectively.
The city’s positivity rate is at 30 percent while that of the province stood at 31 percent.
The hospitalization rate of Negros Occidental is at 65.83 while 75.43 percent of the hospital beds intended for Covid patients in Bacolod are already occupied.