The national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has extended the travel moratorium from the National Capital Region Plus, Cebu and Davao to Western Visayas from April 13 to 19 because of the alarming surge of COVID-19 cases, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Sunday, April 11.
The IAFT earlier granted a similar moratorium from April 4 to 10.
Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas, on behalf of the officials of Western Visayas requested that the moratorium on all incoming flights, sea voyages and land travel from Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan and Cavite collectively called the
“NCR Plus bubble”, Cebu and Davao transporting returning residents and Authorized Persons Outside Residence be suspended for seven more days from April 11 to 17.
The request for a moratorium did not include overseas Filipino workers and the delivery of cargo.
Lorenzana, National Task Force Against COVID-19 chairperson, said they approved an additional seven-day travel moratorium from April 13 to 19 because of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and to give WV officials more breathing space to prevent local transmission and to protect the health care system from being overwhelmed.
“This time must be used to undertake further measures to intensify the enforcement and monitoring of compliance to the minimum public health standards and to strengthen your health care system’s capacities,” he said.
They moved the period of effectivity to April 13 to give due notice to all those planning to travel or are already travelling to Region VI, Lorenzana said.*