Negros Occidental’s provincial government has imposed stricter rules for its residents coming home from the neighboring island of Cebu.
In Executive Order 20-26, which extended the modified general community quarantine in the province from June 16 to 30, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said Negrenses coming from Cebu would be allowed to enter the province only through the government-owned Danao Port in Escalante City.
The admission of locally stranded individuals (LSIs), who will be required to undergo a reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test upon arrival, will also be based on the capacity of the isolation facility in Cadiz City.
“In fact, the more we have to be strict because Cebu is now back to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). I felt that by just limiting it (the point of entry) to one port, we can better control (the arrival of LSIs). The other option is to say no, we will not accept from Cebu,” Lacson said in a press conference at the Capitol Social Hall on Tuesday.
Cebu City, with 2,810 coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections as of June 14, has already surpassed Quezon City as the area with the highest cases in the country.
In Cebu province, there were already more than 4,000 as of last week.
Lacson said since it is now “too dangerous” to accept LSIs from Cebu, the province needs the assistance of the Maritime Industry Authority, Philippine Ports Authority, and Philippine Coast Guard in regulating their arrival.
“We are in this fight together. We have simplified matters, made it easier, but we really need your cooperation. Meaning, you shall not allow any passenger to take a sea vessel (from Cebu) that will dock in another port. We are talking only of one port. We will not accept LSIs coming from Negros Oriental,” he said.
Last week, Lacson said the plan was to let the returning Negrenses from Cebu travel from Toledo City to San Carlos City.
However, he said it is more practical to allow vessels from Cebu to dock in Escalante because it is nearer to the patient care center in Cadiz.
Lacson added that the province would accept LSIs from Cebu based on the availability of rooms in the Cadiz facility.
“If there are only 50 rooms available, then we will accept 50 LSIs. If there are 100 rooms available, we will only accept 100,” he said.
Four residents of Negros Occidental, who came home from Cebu in the first week of June, have tested positive for Covid-19.
As of Tuesday morning, Negros Occidental has 22 positive cases, nine of whom have already recovered.
(Nanette Guadalquiver ndb via pna)