BY MARCHEL P. ESPINA
The city government of Bacolod has set minimal restrictions for out-of-towners who want to enter the city.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia issued Executive Order 58-B on September 4 for clearer regulations on the transport of essential goods, and essential or non-leisure travel of out-of-towners into Bacolod City during the general community quarantine period until Sept. 30.
In the order, the mayor said that transport of essential goods, prime commodities, any type of cargo in bulk, and construction materials for public or private building projects should not be hampered.
However, each person in the transport vehicle, limited only to the driver and not more than four helper-companions, whether they are residents of Bacolod or from out-of-town, shall submit necessary documents at the border checkup points when entering the city.
The driver will be required to show his driver’s license and employment ID with picture, while his companions should also present their employment ID with picture.
Out-of-town residents with essential or non-leisure activities shall also be allowed entry to Bacolod.
These include government officials and frontline personnel, health and emergency frontline services personnel, private sector employees who have to work on-site in the city, business owners who have to personally supervise their stores in the city;
People who will deliver construction materials, patients and their companions/driver who are being transported on medical emergencies or for scheduled consultations, therapies, treatments at health facilities in the city, people who need to make emergency purchases of medicines not available in their hometowns;
Students who need to attend face to face classes at higher education institutions, people who need to pass the city to reach another town or city, members of volunteer organizations for humanitarian projects or those responding to emergencies/disasters, food producers, returning residents, and those who can prove at checkup points that their travel to the city is for non-leisure purpose.
They will be required to present their employment ID with picture at the checkpoint, patients will be required to show their medical certificates for scheduled consultations, treatments, and therapies, while those who need to purchase medicines will have to show the doctor’s prescription and ID with picture.
The city is implementing the home quarantine pass system that started yesterday until September 19 to regulate the entry and exit of residents and out-of-towners as one measure to strictly regulate and prevent interzonal movement for leisure trips and social interactions, the order said.*
