Border closure imposed by the highly urbanized cities of Bacolod and Iloilo has been lifted just hours after it took effect Wednesday.
In a phone interview Wednesday, Interior and Local Government regional director for Western Visayas Juan Jovian Ingeniero, who also sits as chair of the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF), said the two local government units (LGUs) were requested to “reconsider” their position of closing their borders.
A meeting was called by the RIATF and the Regional Task Force (RTF) where the LGUs presented their positions and the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD6) was asked to present the data on the situation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“We requested the Iloilo City government and the Bacolod City government to reconsider their intent to hold travel from Bacolod to Iloilo and vice versa.
The RTF and the RIATF are closely monitoring the data of Covid-19 cases in the region and we will provide appropriate recommendations as needed,” Ingeniero said.
Ingeniero said he received a text message from Mayor Jerry Treñas saying “the city of Iloilo hereby reconsiders its decision to ban the travel of passengers from Iloilo to Bacolod and vice versa”.
Treñas was also present during the meeting while Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia sent a representative.
Ingeniero said he personally called up Leonardia and informed him of the recommendation where he was assured he will also reconsider his decision.
“We were made to understand that the effectivity of their consideration will be effective today,” he said.
On Tuesday, Treñas released an advisory closing its borders to travelers from Negros Island indefinitely starting July 21 due to the increasing cases of Covid-19.
Leonardia also issued an advisory closing the borders of Bacolod City to travelers from Panay and Guimaras islands.
Ingeniero said the IATF resolution states that travel from the same classification should be free and flowing.
Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, and Iloilo City are all classified as modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
“They can regulate by providing stricter health protocols,” he said.
However, Ingeniero said the two LGUs technically have no violation because they did not issue an order but only an advisory.
Travel between the two islands is being served by fast crafts from the passenger terminal in Lapuz district and roll-on, roll-off vessels via the Dumangas and Estacia ports in Iloilo province.
(Perla Lena PNA, photo by PNA)