Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and the mayors of Negros Occidental are expected to discuss whether or not to open up the province’s borders with Negros Oriental at a Provincial Development Council meeting on Friday, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said today, January 16.
Lacson has an existing executive order that states that the borders must remain closed as a deterrent against the spread of COVID-19.
The mayors in an earlier meeting with the governor had opposed the request of Negros Oriental to reopen the borders.
However, Lacson on Monday admitted that the border between San Carlos City in Negros Occidental and Valerhermoso in Negros Oriental has long been open.
Lacson also said he is okay to the reopening the border between Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental and Mabinay in Negros Oriental.
The residents of Vallehermoso and Mabinay are said to be highly dependent on San Carlos and Kabankalan for their essential goods, medical and banking needs, and some work in the two cities.
Kabankalan Mayor Pedro Zayco has informed Lacson of the request of the Mabinay officials for the reopening of the border. This would be beneficial to Kabankalan’s economy, Zayco said.
Lacson said that he will take up the request with the Provincial Incident Management Team tomorrow.
Diaz said the economies of San Carlos and Vallehermoso, and Kabankalan and Mabinay are interdependent.
But he also noted that Hinoba-an town has been strict about its border control with Negros Oriental, which probably has contributed to its low COVID-19 local transmission.
He said there is a need not to be complacent and let one’s guard down against COVID-19 as the pandemic is not over, although he admitted that some LGUs may be suffering from border control fatigue.
Diaz, in stressing the need to remain vigilant, pointed out that even a nurse relative of his in New York who was vaccinated against COVID-19 still contracted the virus.
He, however, also noted that the active COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental as of Monday, February 15, were down to 70 with few occupants left in the province’s isolation facilities.
Mambukal Resort in Murcia that has been used as a COVID-19 isolation facility is empty, he added.*