Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has allowed three flights to land at the Bacolod Silay Airport on Sunday, December 20, to bring in 600 Locally Stranded Individuals from Manila before the moratoriums on their entry into most towns and cities in Negros Occidental begin, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said today, December 16.
The governor granted permission to bring in the inbound passengers on board one Cebu Pacific and two Philippine Airlines flights Sunday so they can spend the holidays with their families, Diaz said.
“We are bracing for all the logistical requirements…our team is up to it,” he said.
All the incoming passengers will be swabbed for COVID-19 tests and quarantined at the provincial government healing center in Silay City until their negative test results are released, Diaz said.
Diaz stressed that there will be no lockdown in Negros Occidental over the holidays, the provincial government only asked for a moratorium on flights on Dec. 24, 25, 31, and Jan. 1.
The Regional Inter Agency Task Force has granted moratoriums on the arrival of LSIs to Ilog and Cauayan from Dec. 20 to Jan. 3, La Carlota City (Dec. 22 to Jan. 2), Pontevedra and La Castellana (Dec. 22 to Jan.5), Bacolod City, Himamaylan City, Victorias City and Calatrava ( Dec. 21 to Jan. 3), Hinoba-an ( Dec. 16 to Dec. 22), Candoni (Dec. 17 to Dec. 31), Moises Padilla (Dec. 21 to Jan. 2), Valladolid (Dec. 24 to Jan. 1), Sipalay City (Dec. 20 to Jan.2) and Murcia (Dec. 16 to Jan.4).
Diaz lauded the officials of the 31 towns and cities of Negros Occidental for strictly implementing their health protocols.
“Some LGUs are strict even if one comes from within the province. If you can’t show a negative RT-PCR test result, they will not let you enter their borders,” Diaz pointed out.
Diaz said that the governor has given instructions to accommodate all returning LSIs who want to come home during the holidays to be with their families.
“We will take care of them as long as there is space in our quarantine facilities. Nobody will be turned down,” he said.*