Mayor Jerry Treñas on Saturday, March 6, updated his order for travel protocols in this city to prepare for the full implementation of Resolution No. 101 of the National Inter-Agency Task Force.
Resolution No. 101 provides for the uniform travel protocols for land, air, and sea of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Treñas signed Executive Order No. 18-A amending EO No.18 that provides “guidelines on the management of persons traveling to Iloilo City” that will take effect 12:01 a.m. of March 8, 2021.
“There is a compelling need to effectively manage the arrival of passengers traveling to Iloilo City, pending the full implementation of Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to ensure that the spread of the Covid-19 will be contained, ” he said.
In the amended guidelines, Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR) who will stay in the city for 24 hours or less have to obtain notice of coordination and acceptance through the Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center (IC-EOC) before their intended arrival and to accomplish their official business within the said time frame.
An APOR traveling for medical purposes must present a certification from a qualified healthcare provider stating the service/procedure to be rendered and schedule or appointment with their medical provider.
However, an APOR who will stay in the city for more than 24 hours, locally stranded individuals (LSIs), returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs), and those on non-essential travels/tourists have to secure a notice of coordination and acceptance from the IC-EOC and indicate their choice among securing a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) 72 hours before the date of travel, a swab test upon arrival or observe a 14-day quarantine.
Those with negative RT-PCR obtained 72 hours before travel may proceed to their business itinerary upon arrival.
If they choose the 14-day quarantine or the swab test upon arrival, the traveler may stay in designated quarantine facilities of the local government or Department of Tourism-accredited hotels based in this city or home quarantine.
All expenses such as food and supplies will be shouldered by the travelers and if the swab result is negative, they will be released and endorsed to their respective barangays for monitoring, the EO said.
However, when tested positive for the disease, the traveler has to complete the 14-day quarantine with the city government providing them food and supplies.
The EO also directed all public transport to coordinate with the IC-EOC and submit a complete list of passengers for every trip.Perla Lena/PNA
