ARRIVAL. Vessels from Tabuelan, Cebu arrive at the Barcelona port in Escalante City, Negros Occidental in April 2020. Starting Tuesday (Feb. 16, 2021), Mayor Melecio Yap Jr. set an arrival schedule for locally-stranded individuals from neighboring Cebu and Iloilo provinces to prevent congestion and overcrowding in the city’s quarantine facilities. (File photo courtesy of PIO Negros Occidental)
BACOLOD CITY – The City of Escalante in Negros Occidental has set an arrival schedule for locally-stranded individuals (LSIs) from neighboring Cebu and Iloilo provinces, based on the directive issued by Mayor Melecio Yap Jr. on Tuesday.
“The repatriation of LSIs shall be scheduled to prevent congestion and overcrowding in the quarantine facilities of Escalante City,” Yap said in a portion of Executive Order 21-002 titled “An Order for the Covid-19 Updated and Comprehensive Protocols in Escalante City”.
Arrival of those coming from Cebu through the Tabuelan and Tuburan ports are allowed only on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday, while those from Iloilo, only during Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, all from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
EO 21-002 also stated that all established border controls in the city are lifted except the seaport border for incoming individuals from Cebu.
Those coming from other parts of the country are required to coordinate with the local inter-agency task force (IATF) through the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office for their travel details at least five days before the expected date of arrival.
All LSIs must secure a travel authority from the Philippine National Police, medical clearance or health certificate from the health office where the LSI or returning overseas Filipino is stranded, and a notice of coordination and acceptance from the Escalante city government.
Upon arrival, the LSI is required to undergo a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test and will remain in the city’s quarantine facility until a negative result is released.
Negative result of RT-PCR test taken from a laboratory in Bacolod City within 48 hours from arrival will be accepted.
According to EO 21-002, LSIs are those returning residents from any part of the country who intend to stay in Escalante for two months and beyond, based on the national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) guidelines.
The entry and acceptance of those who will stay for less than two months will be at the sound discretion of the local IATF, it added. (PNA)
