All travelers entering Bacolod City by land, sea or air, including those from Panay Island and Guimaras, who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, will no longer be required to present negative RT-PCR test results.
This was stated by Mayor Evelio Leonardia in Executive Order No. 49 Series of 2021 amending travel documentation for travellers bound for Bacolod City that was released Wednesday, October 13, and takes effect immediately.
Resolution No. 124-B, S. 2021, issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, as amended by IATF Resolution No. 125, S. 2021, provides that a duly-issued COVID full-vaccination card may be accepted as an alternative to a negative RT-PCR test result for interzonal travel, Leonardia said.
The IATF considers an individual as having been fully vaccinated after more than or equal to two weeks after having received the second dose in a two-dose series, or a single-dose vaccine.
EO 49 states that travelers bound for Bacolod City, including those coming from Panay Island and Guimaras, whether fully vaccinated or not must present the following documents on their arrival at the Bacolod Travel Protocol Desk at the Bacolod-Silay Airport, or at any of the seaports of Bacolod City:
*Online BaCTrac registration;
*Online Health Declaration;
*SPass Travel Coordination Permit; and
*Valid Personal ID
Fully vaccinated travelers are required to present any one of the following:
*COVID-19 vaccination card or certificate duly issued by a legitimate vaccinating establishment/authority whether local or foreign; or
*Certificate of quarantine completion showing the holder’s full vaccination status as issued by the Bureau of Quarantine.
However, for the in-bound non-residents of Bacolod City, in compliance with IATF regulations and considering the ongoing improvements on the system for verifying COVID-19 vaccination cards, those issued by legitimate vaccination authorities such as the Department of Health, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and any qualified national or foreign government agency, will be sufficient proof of vaccination.
The mayor said for the in-bound residents of Bacolod City, presentation of their vaccination cards duly issued by the Bacolod City Health authority will be enough.
Travelers who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 or those who do not strictly comply with the definition of a fully-vaccinated individual will still be required to present a negative RT-PCR test result obtained within 72 hours prior to arrival in Bacolod City.
Any individual who presents a forged or falsified vaccination card or certification will be dealt with in accordance with law, the mayor said.*