- CHERYL G. CRUZ
Travelers to Bacolod City, vaccinated or not, from areas under Alert Level 3, will be required starting on Jan. 9 to present a negative RT-PCR result and secure an S-PaSS approval, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said Jan. 7.
In Executive Order No. 1-2022 dated Jan. 7, Leonardia said other requirements include an online BaCTrac registration and valid ID. “The strict policy on travelers entering the port/s of Bacolod City/area of the city’s jurisdiction, from areas under Alert Level 3 or higher, covers individuals who may be fully vaccinated, have undergone a booster dose, are partially vaccinated, or remain unvaccinated.”
The National Capital Region, Laguna, Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal have been placed on Alert Level 3 since Jan. 3. Last night, the National Inter-Agency Task Force also placed Iloilo City in Region 6, Lapu-lapu City in Region 7, Baguio City in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Dagupan City in Region 1, the City of Santiago and Cagayan in Region 2, Angeles City, Bataan, Olongapo City, Pampanga, and Zambales in Region 3, Batangas and Lucena City in Region 4-A, and Naga City in Region 5, on Alert Level 3, from Jan. 9 to 15.
A negative RT-PCR test result must have been obtained within 72 hours prior to and upon arrival in Bacolod City for all in-bound travelers regardless of vaccination status, Leonardia said.
All government officials/public sector personnel on official business shall be allowed unimpeded travel into Bacolod City from any area regardless of the alert level status, provided that they comply with the vaccination mandate of the national IATF and present requisite papers, the EO added.
The city government may refuse the entry of any person for failure to comply with the travel requirements, for exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, or refusing to follow the testing and quarantine protocols of Bacolod.
Those who present falsified/fake or tampered documents, such as the RT-PCR test results and/or vaccination cards, shall be denied entry and shall be liable for prosecution under the law, the EO said.
Leonardia directed the city police to cooperate and assist the city government in implementing the health and safety protocols embodied in the EO, which may include the apprehension and prosecution of person violating any provision of the order, or those penalized under existing laws such as, but not limited to, falsification of document/s, use of fictitious name, and the like. | CGC
