The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office has intensified border control operations in five provincial and two intra-province boundaries, with the ban on the entry of non-essential travelers from Negros Oriental until June 30.
Lt. Abegael Donasco, deputy public information officer, told the Philippine News Agency yesterday that police personnel deployed in the checkpoints will ensure the enforcement of Executive Order 21-30, issued by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.
In the directive, Lacson prohibited all non-essential travel of persons from Negros Oriental to Negros Occidental from June 15 to 30 as part of the “more stringent measures” to contain the recent surge of the coronavirus disease 2019 infections.
Boundary quarantine control points have been set up in provincial borders between San Carlos City and Vallehermoso town in the north, La Castellana town and Canlaon City, and Isabela town and Guihulngan City in the central part of the island, Kabankalan City and Mabinay town, and Hinobaan and Basay towns in the south.
Within Negros Occidental, quarantine control points at the boundary of Bacolod were also strengthened in Talisay City in the north, and Bago City in the south.
Donasco said provincial police director, Col. Romy Palgue, appeals to the public to avoid non-essential travels going to Negros Occidental so as not to be inconvenienced.
“We also remind the Negrosanons to abide with the policies set by EO 21-30 to help curb the surge of Covid-19 cases and also to avoid being penalized,” she added.
To further raise awareness on the new directive, Donasco said the mobile patrol cars of city and municipal police stations all over the province will go around to broadcast reminders while police officers will also conduct information drive by distributing fliers on the salient points of EO 21-30.
As of June 16, Negros Occidental has 17,072 confirmed Covid-19 cases, including 1,771 active infections, 14,902 recoveries, and 399 deaths, the Provincial Incident Management Team said.*