Despite the easing of travel restrictions in Bacolod City after it was deescalated to Alert Level 2 until the end of this month, city-bound airline passengers are still required to apply for an S-PaSS as part of their travel requirements.
This is because the Bacolod-Silay Airport is under the jurisdiction of Negros Occidental, which means that travelers are mandated to follow the travel policies of the provincial government.
“Since the provincial government of Negros Occidental requires an approved S-PaSS for all travelers coming through the Silay Airport, Bacolod residents should also comply with this requirement to avoid any travel conflict, or worse, flight cancellations,” Em Ang, executive director of the Emergency Operations Center-Task Force said.
Ang said there were instances when passengers, who were already at the airport, were not allowed to board the plane because of their failure to present an approved S-PaSS.
She said the city will ensure a fast approval of S-PaSS applications of Bacolodnons to avoid inconvenience.
Fully vaccinated travelers are also required to present their BacTrac ID and vaccination card, while those unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals must secure a negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) result within 48 hours prior to their arrival in Bacolod.
Ang also encouraged parents to have their kids vaccinated against COVID-19.
“COVID-19 can affect everyone in our family, even our children,” she said in a press release from the city recently. “Let us all do our part and protect our loved ones so that we can move on to the new normal.”
EOC-TF deputy director, Dr. Chris Sorongon, meanwhile, clarified that kids who are below five years old are exempted from the travel requirements, provided that they are accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult.
Children five years old and above must comply with the protocols set by the city and the province of Negros Occidental, he added.
Unvaccinated minors five to 17 years old must present a negative RAT with 48 hours validity, or an RT-PCR test with 72 hours validity, he said.
They also need to process their BacTrac ID and S-PaSS when traveling to Bacolod via the Bacolod-Silay Airport, Sorongon added. — NND
