BARANGAY BORDER CONTROL. A barangay official in Idio, Sebaste town checks the body temperature of a resident in their barangay border control in this undated photo. The border control has been extended until Sept. 7 that will require travel pass to non-Authorized Person Outside Residence when they go out of their municipalities and the province of Antique. (Photo courtesy of Antique LnB)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The implementation of strict border control in Antique has been extended until Sept. 7 upon the request of mayors in the province.
“Since the general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restriction classification of Antique has been extended until September 7, the implementation of the strict border control will also be extended for another seven days,” said Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao during Tuesday’s virtual meeting of the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force of Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
With the extension, a travel pass will only be required among non-Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APORs) traveling outside their municipalities and no longer for inter- barangays.
“We will no longer be requiring travel pass for those traveling outside of their barangays, but only to those going out of their municipalities or in the province,” she said.
She said the travel pass will be issued by the mayors of the municipalities where the non-APOR resides.
APORs, meanwhile, will just have to show their identification cards (IDs) at the municipal or provincial border control and no longer at the barangay.
The governor will also be issuing a new executive order lifting the liquor ban and allowing up to 50 percent in-door dining capacity from the current 20 percent.
“Liquor could only be sold by retail stores, restaurants and bars from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.,” she said.
Cadiao added that drinking in public places will only be allowed until 8:30 p.m.
The lifting of the liquor ban and increasing the dine-in capacity among restaurants are eyed to help revive the economy.
During the meeting, Mayor Elmer Untaran said the strict border control has resulted in the decline in the number of Covid-19 cases in this province’s capital town.
He said residents here have been obedient by not leaving their homes except for essential needs despite the long weekend.
As of August 30, the town has 145 active cases, 1,232 recoveries, and 54 deaths.
In the same period, the province has 804 active cases, 3,898 recoveries, and 216 deaths, according to the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO). (PNA)
