Travel restriction between Panay, Negros islands lifted

ILOILO CITY — Renewed travel restrictions between the islands of Panay and Negros were lifted, less than 24 hours after Iloilo and Bacolod cities issued separate travel bans.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, issue separate statements on Wednesday, withdrawing their respective travel bans.

“Upon due consideration, the City of Iloilo hereby reconsiders its decision to ban the travel of passengers from Iloilo City to Bacolod and vice versa. We apologize to everyone for the inconvenience,” Treñas said in a statement.

Leonardia said he talked with Treñas and officials of the Western Visayas Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 and they agreed to lift the border restrictions.

Treñas on Tuesday issued border restrictions for those traveling from Negros Island supposed to take effect Wednesday, citing “rising cases of COVID-19.”

Leonardia subsequently issued border restrictions for those coming from Panay and Guimaras island.

He said his order was “primarily in reciprocity” to Trenas’ order.

Leonardia clarified on Tuesday that the statement issued by Riverside Medical Center, a privately run hospital in Bacolod City, that the hospital’s isolation facility has already reached full capacity did not mean that the COVID-19 situation in the city and Negros Island had worsened.

He said hospital officials told him that the isolation facility is also being used by hospital personnel who need to be isolated as a precautionary measure.

Western Visayas officials had earlier agreed to lift border restrictions within the region to help revive the economy, including encouraging domestic tourism.

LZB