BACOLOD CITY – Top officials of Negros Occidental and this capital city will hold a virtual discussion this coming Friday on the latter’s proposal for harmonized inbound travel policies.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, who is working in isolation after testing positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) on January 22, said on Wednesday that before the meeting, he will send a reply to the letter-request of Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
“We wanted to continue with the requirement of negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for those from Alert Level 3 areas, but of course, we are also taking into consideration the request of Mayor Bing,” he told reporters in a telephone interview.
In a letter addressed to Lacson, Leonardia said he wants to discuss how the province and the city can coordinate and harmonize their respective travel guidelines for the safety, ease, and convenience of their constituents.
On January 23, the city government already scrapped the negative RT-PCR test requirement for inbound travel, but the province continues to require its submission especially for travelers from Manila.
“For compassionate reason and to address the prolonged inconvenience of Bacolod-bound travelers who are also burdened with additional expense in re-booking their flights and paying for another round of RT-PCR test, we are lifting the negative RT-PCR test result as a requirement for travel to Bacolod City,” Leonardia told Lacson.
The mayor said that in its stead, the city government may honor a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) taken from the local government unit of origin.
Leonardia added that molecular laboratories or clinics cannot guarantee the passengers that their results will be out in time for their flight schedule.
“Notably, many of those inconvenienced because of delayed RT-PCR test results, do not stay in Metro Manila. Some are Bacolodnons staying with relatives in Laguna, Batangas, Cavite or elsewhere in Luzon,” he said.
Leonardia also noted that RT-PCR test costs more with each procedure ranging from PHP3,300 to PHP5,000 while RAT is worth only about PHP800 with a result already available in 30 minutes to an hour.
The entire Western Visayas, including Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, is under Alert Level 3 until January 31. (PNA)
