The provincial government here is now requiring inbound travelers to present negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results at its border checkpoints.

South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. on Monday issued Executive Order (EO) No. 01 Series of 2022 that instructed the one city and 10 municipal government units in the province to require RT PCR results taken within three days for the travelers from high-risk countries and areas in the Philippines within Alert Level 3 or higher categories.

“For uniformity, the local government units (LGUs) shall adopt quarantine and isolation protocols based on IATF Resolution No. 155 for both travelers from outside of the country and from within the Philippines taking into consideration the 10, 14, and 21-day quarantine and isolation protocols,” Tamayo said in the directive.

Residents of South Cotabato arriving in General Santos City Airport are also advised to register with S-PASS or Safe, Swift, and Smart Passage before entering the province.

“There shall be strict implementation of the S-PASS QR Code, the management of the General Santos International Airport shall be enjoined to enforce its implementation,” Tamayo said.

The provincial government will also be conducting a provincial vaccination day to ensure that the target population will be vaccinated.

“The assistance of police nurses in the province shall be utilized and engaged to help in the vaccine operations,” he said.

The province is targeting to vaccinate around 700,000 individuals from its estimated one million population.

South Cotabato together with 50 other areas in the county will remain under Alert level 3 until January 31 as announced by the national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases last week due to increasing Covid-19 cases. (PNA)