Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said bus operations between Negros Occidental and Oriental may resume before the end of the week.
“What is important is that we have the same protocols as Negros Oriental considering that we are now under the same alert level,” he said.
The National Inter-Agency Task Force has placed the two Negros provinces under COVID-19 Alert Level No. 2 until November 30.
“We are considering opening up borders, we just have to decide which borders to open….We would like to settle this issue as soon as possible,” Lacson said.
Lacson said if Negros Occidental can come into an agreement with Negros Oriental they are ready to reopen the borders before the end of the week.
They will see if it is feasible to require travelers between the two provinces to obtain an S-PaSS because “that’s easier if you buy a ticket for an airline… but for bus companies, I don’t know if that is possible,” he said.
Requiring buses to travel from point to point without picking up passengers along the way may be difficult to control so let’s be realistic, Lacson also said.
Negros Occidental is working on a mutual agreement with Negros Oriental on the guidelines for the resumption of bus operations for practical purposes, Lacson said.
“It is just about setting up the safety procedures so those who are unvaccinated do not enter Negros Occidental,” Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.*