The City of Bacolod has laid down the requirements for non-essential travelers to ensure that health and safety protocols against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) are strictly followed as they are allowed entry here starting Wednesday.
Councilor Israel Salanga announced the development as per Executive Order No. 1, series of 2021, earlier issued by Mayor Evelio Leonardia.
“This was put on hold last time in coordination with the province (of Negros Occidental) but now we are allowed (to accept non-essential travelers),” Salanga said in a Facebook post.
He, however, clarified that travel between the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo remains unhampered.
Salanga, who chairs the city council’s committee on tourism, said non-essential travel includes leisure or vacation, visiting friends or families, and attending weddings and christenings.
Other travels with a purpose not for basic needs are also included, he added.
When coming to Bacolod, the non-essential traveler will be asked to make an itinerary for the duration of stay in the city for the first 10 days or less.
After booking for accommodation, he or she must download or register for BaCTrac contact tracing ID and sign the online health declaration form, and then book for travel.
The traveler is also required to undergo a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, whether through nasal swab or saliva and should have a negative result three days before travel.
All documents should be emailed to israelsalanga.bcd@gmail.com for the issuance of notice of coordination or acceptance letter.
Upon arrival in Bacolod, the traveler must present the notice of coordination, negative RT-PCR test result, travel itinerary, roundtrip ticket/travel details, confirmed booking of accommodation or address of residence, BaCTrac ID, and filled out online health declaration form.
Meanwhile, returning residents or locally-stranded individuals are required to submit a negative RT-PCT test result within three days or 72 hours before travel from point of origin, BacTrac ID registration, and filled out health declaration form.
The three requirements should be emailed to spmcindyrojas@yahoo.com to obtain a notice of coordination from the office of Councilor Cindy Rojas. (PNA)
