ILOILO – Wary of further transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. reimposed a border restriction in this province. His Executive Order No. 128-E, Series of 2020 for this took effect yesterday. It prohibits the entry of persons through provincial borders of Capiz, Antique and Negros Occidental.
“We have to make tough decisions otherwise wala pulos ang aton nga quarantine,” Defensor stressed, citing orders from the national government to temporarily suspend travel of locally stranded individuals (LSIs).
“Kon magbukas kita kag indi kita firm sa aton decision ang gwa sini daw Cebu,” he pointed out.
In his directive, Defensor gave residents of Iloilo, Iloilo City and Guimaras who are not LSIs – travelling to and staying temporarily in the provinces of Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Negros Occidental and Bacolod City – until July 3 to return to the province.
“Kinahanglan anay nga i-regulate ang pagsulod sang aton gusto nga magpauli nga kasimanwa in the meantime,” the governor added.
So who can enter Iloilo City?
Defensor classified them as “essential entry”. These are the following:
* Government officials, uniformed personnel and personnel travelling in the performance of their functions
* Health and emergency frontline personnel and duly authorized Humanitarian Assistance Actors
* Persons traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons
* Persons granted passage to the airport for travel abroad, or from the airport to the border, provided that, the travel within the Province shall be non-stop from the border to the airport or vice versa
* Overseas Filipino workers returning to the province in trips organized by and under the auspices of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
* Residents of Iloilo City, the province of Guimaras travelling there from and into the province
However, this entry shall only be allowed upon prior coordination and clearance with the provincial government.
Returning residents who would fail to return by July 3 shall be considered LSIs and shall be required the following to return to or enter the province:
* Medical Certificate from the originating/sending local government unit
* Travel Authority from the Chief of Police in higher command or Travel Authority issued by the governor to their returning constituents, in coordination with the Philippine National Police
* Prior coordination and clearance with the provincial and concerned municipal governments.
Defensor also issued guidelines for carriers in road, rail, maritime and aviation operating for carriage of passengers (bus operators, shipping lines and inter-island bangka or pump boat operators and airlines). These are the following:
* Advise persons intending to travel to the province of the above restrictions
* Refuse issuance of any public transport contract or tickets
* Refuse boarding on any public transport in so far as applicable
Defensor tasked the Iloilo Police Provincial Office, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Coast Guard to enforce the border restriction./PN
