SAN JOSE, Antique – Citing border restrictions to be imposed by the city and province of Iloilo due to rising infections of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Gov. Rhodora Cadiao urged Antiqueños to forgo non-essential travel there.
The border control begins on June 4.
“Ipaiway lang pag-travel sa Iloilo kon indi man lang importante,” Cadiao said in an interview with Panay News.
What instances of travel are considered essential?
Medical emergencies, work-related, and business-related, said Cadiao.
Antique must cooperate with the city and provincial governments of Iloilo, she stressed.
This is also another way of protecting Antiqueños from the coronavirus pandemic, said Cadiao.
She expressed relief that the surge in COVID-19 infections in Antique has been minimal.
“Wala masyado, may mga spot-spot lang. Hindi masyadong marami ang new cases namin everyday,” said Cadiao.
On Monday, May 31, Cadiao had a conference with Antique’s 18 mayors and Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force. They discussed pandemic measures.
Antique remains under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) from June 1 to June 30.
Here are the measures:
* Travelers/Locally Stranded Individual going to Antique from outside of Region 6 must have a negative COVID-19 test result (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction), Notice of Coordination from local government unit (LGU) of destination and an approved S-pass
* Travel to Iloilo City is strictly prohibited unless needed/emergency travels
* Curfew is from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.
* Liquor ban is lifted
* Cockfighting is still not allowed and social gatherings are prohibited
* COVID Ligtas centers in 18 municipalities are encouraged to be reactivated
* Mayors must encourage their constituents to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity in the province.
As of May 31, Antique had 278 active COVID-19 cases; 1,124 recovered cases; and 72 deaths.
Here’s the breakdown of the active cases: San Jose (102), Sibalom (35), Culasi (20), Valderrama (19), Hamtic (18), Bugasong (17), San Remegio (16), Patnongon (eight), Tibiao (eight), Tobias Fornier (eight), Anini-y (seven), Pandan (six), Belison (five), Barbaza (four), Caluya (three), Laua-an (one), and Libertad (one).
Cadiao again reminded Antiqueños to follow minimum health standards such as wearing of facemask and face shield, physical distancing and proper sanitation of hands./PN
