The city government has required all inbound passengers, regardless of reason or purpose of entry including transit travelers, to present a negative swab test result for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) before they can be allowed entry here.

This, as the local Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Covid-19 lifted the temporary suspension of inbound commercial flights effective April 1.

The local IATF has earlier suspended all inbound commercial flights from Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) effective March 29 amid the re-imposition of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) and neighboring provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal due to the surge of Covid-19 cases.

The local IATF said Monday that similar requirements should be complied with by travelers from other provinces, cities and high-risk areas as approved by the regional IATF.

Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, local IATF chairperson, said the negative swab test results together with valid identification cards (IDs) should be presented prior to boarding the aircraft bound for this city.

Salazar said that the same requirement is imposed on all Zamboanga-bound passengers via land or sea.

She said that as an exception, only government-authorized persons outside residence (APOR), who are performing official duties or functions are exempted from the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) negative result requirement.

She said the primary goal of this move is to restrict movement at this time in view of the surge in Covid-19 cases in the country.

Meanwhile, she said that passengers affected by the flight suspension from March 29 to 31 will be swabbed upon arrival in Zamboanga City at the expense of the city government. (PNA)