BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The proposed resumption of passenger bus trips between two Negros province may not be possible, as of this time, as Negros Oriental is on COVID-19 Alert Level 4, while Negros Occidental remains under Alert Level 2.
There’ s more risk on the part of Negros Occidental in opening up public transportation with Negros Oriental, which is now on Alert Level 4, stressed yesterday by Provincial Inter Agency Task Force action officer Rayfrando Diaz, following a meeting between Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and the Provincial Incident Management Team.
It is counterproductive in our campaign against COVID-19 if we allow unimpeded or unchecked travel between Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental. Diaz added.
On October 25, the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force of Negros Oriental reported a total of 855 new COVID-19 cases, and 299 more cases in Dumaguete City, with 13 more deaths, on October 19, 20, 21, 22 and 24
But Diaz said they are looking for ways to open the province for fully vaccinated individuals from Negros Oriental, provided the identification cards they will present are verifiable, and with QR codes, in order not to tempt others to falsify their credentials, while entering the province.
We hope that their situation will improve soon in Negros Oriental, so that once it is safe, we will resume the normal transportation within this island, he added.
For now, Diaz said they will still require travelers in private cars entering the province to register into the S-PaSS., either with QR coded vaccination cards, or negative RT-PCR results, within 72 hours. He, however, reiterated that they will not allow public transportation to come into the province.
Diaz also said that they will meet again with representatives of the Vallacar Transit Incorporated, who are proposing the resumption of land trips between two Negros provinces, if the conditions are ripe for opening of public transport.
As to the fake RT-PCR test results, he revealed that they have denied many who have false documents during the application of S-PaSS.
So far, Diaz said that S-PaSS is very effective to them, in terms of making sure that all persons coming into Negros Occidental are fully vaccinated, or have negative RT-PCR test results.*
