Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI) is now implementing the “no vaccine, no ride” policy of the Department of Transportation, VTI Media Relations Officer Jade Seballos said Monday, January 17.
All passengers must present vaccination cards indicating that they have been fully vaccinated in order to board VTI’s Ceres buses in Negros Occidental, Seballos said.
Passengers travelling from areas outside Negros Occidental, including Negros Oriental, are required to present vaccination cards and negative RT-PCR test results, she added.
Meanwhile, operators of the Ocean Jet and Weesam Express fastcrafts are asking that fully vaccinated travelers plying the Bacolod-Iloilo-Bacolod routes no longer be required to present negative RT-PCR test results.
They are asking that travelers be required to only present their vaccination cards or a Department of Health (DOH) vaccination certificate.
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated passengers will not be allowed to buy tickets and board a vessel unless they present negative RT-PCR test results taken within 72 hours prior to travel, they added.
The operators issued the appeal in a letter to Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas Monday, Frank Carbon of Weesam Express said.
Carbon said should Treñas grant their requests they will make a similar appeal to Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
Bacolod City and Iloilo City are under COVID-19 Alert Level 3.
Iloilo City is a critical risk area for COVID-19 and Bacolod City is a high risk area, the DOH said Monday.*