Western Visayas’ task force against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) respects the decision of Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. to reimpose travel restrictions.

Lawyer Roy Villa, spokesperson of the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force, said Defensor is in the best position to make decisions for the province.

Iloilo is currently under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) with “strict local action”.

Defensor issued on Wednesday, July 1, an executive order restricting persons from traveling to the province from July 1 to 15.

Residents of Iloilo and Guimaras, who are not locally stranded individuals (LSIs) coming from outside Panay and Negros Occidental, traveling to, and staying temporarily in Aklan, Capiz, Antique, Negros Occidental, and Bacolod City, are given until tomorrow, July 3, to return to or to enter the borders of Iloilo province.

They must present proof of residence upon entering the provincial borders.

Those who will fail to return by the given date will be considered LSIs and will be required to secure medical certificates from originating or sending local government units (LGUs), and travel authority issued by police stations or governors.

Exempted from the travel ban are the following:
▪Government officials and personnel traveling in the performance of their functions
▪Health and emergency frontline frontline personnel and dul athorized Humanitarian Assistance Actors (HAAs)
▪Persons traveling for medical or humanitarian
▪persons granted passage to the airport for travel abroad or from the airport to the border
▪Overseas Filipino workers (OWs) returning to the province in trips orgnaized by Overseas Workers Welfare Adminstration (OWWA)
▪residents of Iloilo and Guimaras.

“The Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the Bureau of Quarantine are hereby enjoined to enforce the foregoing quarantine restrictions,” EO No. 128-E stated.IMT