TRAVEL PROTOCOL. Political leaders of Western Visayas decided to require travelers bound for the region to show a negative RT-PCR test taken 72 hours before travel, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said on Friday (March 19, 2021). Photo shows Treñas during their March 15, 2021 meeting. (File photo by Arnold Almacen/CMO)
ILOILO CITY – All persons traveling to Western Visayas (Region 6) must have a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test taken 72 hours before their trip.
This was announced by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas to the media following his virtual meeting with the governors of Western Visayas, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Western Visayas Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Department of Health (DOH), and Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III on Friday afternoon.
“It was decided that all persons traveling to Region 6 must have 72 hours negative RT-PCR test prior to travel, whether returning residents, returning OFW (overseas Filipino worker) or APOR (Authorized Person Outside of Residence). This will be up to April 10 unless sooner revoked by the local government units if the circumstances warrant,” he said.
He added that the protocol will take effect upon the signing of the corresponding resolution that will be prepared by the national IATF.
Friday’s meeting was a follow-through of their meeting on March 15 convened by Treñas who pushed for a synchronized travel protocol in the region.
The protocol was in response to the rapid increase in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Metro Manila and Cebu. (PNA)
