BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has lifted the temporary suspension of inbound travel of returning residents in the provinces of Antique, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, and Iloilo City effective Sept. 15.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, chairperson of the Bacolod IATF, clarified that the City was not included in the list because it remains under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) status, until Sept. 30.
The return of LSIs to Negros Occidental had been suspended on Sept. 7 as requested by local government chief executives, pending the decongestion of quarantine facilities in the province.
Any requests henceforth for the imposition, extension and lifting of moratorium of local government units shall be decided upon by their respective Regional Inter-Agency Task Force and shall be enforced by the National Task Force, the NIATF stated in its Resolution No. 71.
More than 200 Negrense LSIs, who have been scheduled to sail on Sept. 8 to Bacolod City, through a passenger ship, have been stranded at the port of Manila, for almost a week now after Bacolod City was placed under MECQ.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo, Familiaran said that Bacolenos may not be allowed yet to return home until such time that the MECQ is lifted.
But he said that passenger ship from Manila carrying Negrense LSIs may be allowed to dock at the Bredco Port in Bacolod City.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that Negrense LSIs stranded at a port in Manila may be able to return home during the weekend.
Commander Jansen Benjamin, Philippine Coast Guard–Negros Occidental chief, said yesterday that they have already allowed the return of Negrense LSIs from Tabuelan port in Cebu to the province.*
