Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson assured Tuesday, May 18, that the transport of essential goods between Negros and Panay will remain unimpeded should a seven-day travel moratorium be granted.
The Western Visayas Regional Inter-Agency Task Force recommended a moratorium on travel between Negros and Panay for seven days, which needs the approval of the national IATF, to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Some members of the business community are against the move. It will cause a loss of about P50 million in revenues, Frank Carbon, chief executive officer of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Monday.
Lacson said they have not been notified by the NIATF on its decision.
What will be affected by the moratorium will be non-essential travel for tourism and leisure, and its only for one week, the governor said.
Can the private sector assure Iloilo City of help in case its COVID-19 cases go up? he asked.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas is just being very cautious and is asking for a moratorium to somehow control their COVID-19 numbers, he added.*