The Province of Guimaras will again tighten control of its borders in the midst of rising cases of COVID-19 in Western Visayas.
Governor Samuel T. Gumarin issued Executive Order No. 63 series of 2020 adopting the enhanced Level 2 Response of the Guimaras COVID-19 Response Initiative effective August 10, 2020.
During its meeting last August 6, 2020 the Guimaras COVID-19 Response Executive Committee agreed to impose stricter measures to thwart and arrest the spread of the virus.
A Guimarasnon who works as a crew in a milktea house in Iloilo City has tested positive of the virus while two residents of the province who were identified as “close contact” of a COVID-19 patient in Iloilo City also tested positive of the disease.
Gumarin stressed the need to imposed stringent measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Alarming ang pagdamo sang local transmission sang virus sa mga kaiping naton nga mga lugar diri sa Western Visayas. Kinahanglan naton anay hugtan liwat ang aton mga protocols agud maproteksyunan ang mga Guimarasnon,” Gumarin said.
Under the enhanced Level 2 Response, only Jordan Wharf, Buenavista Wharf and Ro-Ro Wharf in Jordan are the entry points going to Guimaras.
Sebaste Wharf in the town of Sibunag shall be limited to outbound delivery of local produce while Puyo Wharf in Nueva Valencia and Tacay Wharf in the Municipality of Buenavista shall be used for delivery of incoming construction materials provided there is prior permission from the Governor.
Returning residents of the province who had entered the Guimaras since August 1, 2020 and do not show symptoms of COVID-19 shall be allowed entry and will comply with the prescribed mandatory quarantine regulations.
Guimarasnons who have not returned to the island before August 1, 2020 shall be subjected to a 14-day mandatory home quarantine unless he/she has recent negative RT-PCR test upon entry.
The test shall be taken by three days upon entry.
Non-residents who will enter Guimaras shall only be allowed entry if the purpose of travel is to transport basic commodities and necessities such as but not limited to petroleum products, medicines and medical supplies, food, food products and beverages, essential domestic implements/household and personal hygiene products, construction materials, agricultural and fishery products and supplies.
Non-residents shall likewise be allowed entry to the province if the purpose of travel is for emergency cases that may result to loss of life, liberty or property.
Personnel who are employed and those who work or render services in the province shall be allowed to enter Guimaras provided that in all cases he/she is not a suspect, probable or confirmed COVID-19 case but those who would stay for a minimum of two days in the island shall be subjected to a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT).
Those who are employed, work or render services in Guimaras and visits the province thrice a week, the RDT shall be made on a weekly basis.
Guimarasnons shall only be allowed to go to Iloilo City in the case of medical referrals, emergency cases that may result to loss of life, liberty or property.
Those who are employed, work or render services outside the province including those who transport goods/local produce shall be allowed to travel.
However, residents who have traveled outside Guimaras three times a week shall be required a negative Rapid Diagnostic Test result every week before he/she shall be allowed to return to the province.
Guimarasnon residents who have stayed outside the province for more than two days shall be subjected to 14-day home quarantine upon return.
Only those who can comply with the requirements shall be issued an Outbound Pass and be allowed re-entry to the province and residents who are suspected, probable or a confirmed COVID-19 case shall not be allowed to travel.
Meanwhile, only non-residents with Inbound Pass shall be allowed to leave Guimaras.
Non-residents who are in the province before the implementation of Inbound Pass policy shall secure such form from the office of the Municipal Mayor in order to be granted exit.
Further, trips of motorbancas and Ro-Ro vessels plying the Guimaras – Iloilo route vice versa will be from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. except for motorbancas which are allowed to operate from sunrise until sunset.
Business hours for establishments shall be from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. except for health facilities and funeral parlors. Public markets may however open before 6 a.m. Public transportations shall be allowed to operate from 4 a.m. until 8 p.m.
