Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. has decided to once again close the borders of Iloilo after several cases of local transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) were reported in the province.
Defensor issued Executive Order No. 128-E on Wednesday, extending the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) regime in Iloilo Province until July 15. The EO also reimposed the travel restrictions of persons from Capiz, Antique, Aklan and Negros Occidental into the province of Iloilo.
This means that public utility vehicles will be limited to ‘border to border’ only, Defensor said.
“Ma-lock kita anay sang borders naton. Indi anay sila makasulod samtang naga-andam kita,” Defensor added.
Those exempted from the travel restrictions are the following: government officials and personnel traveling in the performance of their functions, health and emergency frontline personnel duly authorized Humanitarian Assistance Actors (HAAs), persons traveling for medical and humanitarian reasons;
Persons granted passage to the airport for travel abroad, or from the airport to the border; overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returning to the Province in trips organized by Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA); and residents of Iloilo City and province of Guimaras traveling therefrom and into the Province.
Residents of Iloilo Province, Iloilo City and Guimaras who are not locally stranded individuals (LSIs) coming from outside Panay and Negros Occidental are given until July 3 to return or enter the border of the Province. After the date, they will be considered as LSIs.
Delivery of cargoes, food products and other essential items would still be allowed to pass through border checkpoints, to be conducted by military and police personnel.
