Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson issued an executive order Tuesday, August 10, setting the implementing guidelines for migrant sugarcane workers travelling to Negros Occidental for crop year 2021-2022, which takes effect immediately.
Lacson, in Executive Order 21-42 Series of 2021, said in the light of the forthcoming sugarcane crop season there will be an influx of migrant sugarcane workers entering the province hence the need to issue proactive guidelines to prevent the potential surge of COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental.
The guidelines state that individual planters must submit the list of migrant sugarcane workers they require for crop year 2021-2022 to their association.
The list must state the names of the migrant sugarcane workers, their basic information, place of assignment and preferred date of transport to Negros Occidental, Lacson said.
The planter’s association should then endorse the list to the Negros Occidental provincial government for proper coordination, he added.
All migrant sugarcane workers entering Negros Occidental will be required to present an approved travel coordination permit issued by the S-PaSS Travel Management System, and negative RT-PCR test result prior to travel.
Migrant workers without prior negative RT-PCR test results may also be swabbed for testing at their port of entry.
For every migrant sugarcane worker employed by the planter who avails of the swab on arrival service, the planter should deposit P1,500 to the province as a donation for the purchase of a RT–PCR test kit, Lacson said.
The planter should endorse the list of migrant sugarcane workers who will avail of the service, and provide the transportation from their port of entries to their quarantine facilities located in their respective farms, he said.
Those quarantined should be isolated from the community until their test results are released by the Provincial Health Office, Lacson said.
All persons or establishments who fail to comply with the executive order and established health and safety protocols will face appropriate administrative and criminal sanctions, he said.*