Bacolod City – Fully vaccinated travelers are now allowed to enter this city with no need for a negative RT-PCR test result for COVID-19.
This move follows the decision of the Negros Occidental provincial government to allow fully vaccinated persons to enter the province sans the negative test result.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia issued Executive Order No. 49 indicating that persons 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.
The EO said 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.
Leonardia said that in the absence of a vaccination card or certificate, 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.
This is in consonance with the Inter-Agency Task Force regulations and considering the ongoing improvements on the system for verification, the mayor said.
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, the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental eased travel restrictions by allowing fully vaccinated travelers to enter the province without a negative RT-PCR test result.
Both Bacolod and Negros Occidental are at high risk in terms of transmission.
(Dolly Yasa via The Daily Guardian, photo courtesy of Bacolod City Public Information Office)