This Week in Bacolod (March 20 to 26, 2022)

Bacolod City retains its Alert Level 1 status while the province of Negros Occidental has likewise remained under Alert Level 2, effective until March 31.

Other areas in the Visayas under Alert Level 1 are Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo City, Cebu City, and Siquijor, also effective until the end of the month.

Acting Presidential Spokesperson Sec. Martin M. Andanar announced this further, saying that the Inter-Agency Task Force placed the National Capital Region under Alert Level 1 from March 16 until March 31 and more 47 areas in the country.

Bacolod City and Negros Occidental are under minimum risk classification; thus, the alert levels assigned, as per DOH-6 Senior Health Program Officer John Richard Lapascua.

As for Bacolod City, the DOH reported that the city had inoculated 127.53% of its target population. Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia said that the government’s economic recovery plan coincides with the alert level status of the city, especially with regards to the recovery of the business sectors. [1]

Meanwhile, in Negros Occidental, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson mandates the extension of the Alert Level 2 status of Negros Occidental until March 31 to release a new Executive Order.

One factor that refrained Negros Occidental from being classified to a lower alert level is the low vaccination rate of senior citizens in the province, as seconded by Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz. Despite the significant drop of cases in the province, the Department of Health or DOH still doesn’t consider the senior citizen’s group of vaccinees fully protected. [2]

Diaz also added that it would still take time before Negros Occidental’s alert level lowered. The province can reach a qualified rate of senior citizens by then.

Currently, the government of Negros Occidental is planning strategies to have more senior citizens inoculated, starting with establishing two Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program Cards provided to old citizen couples instead of providing for one. With this incentive, senior citizens will be able to receive PhP10,000 for health assistance instead of receiving only PhP5,000. Diaz has also ordered the Provincial Health Office to ready the master list of senior citizens to be covered under this incentive.

Negros Occidental is unrestricted in the S-PaSS Travel Management System. On the other side of the province, fully vaccinated passengers are no longer required by the San Carlos City Government to submit S-PaSS requirements upon entering its seaports in Cebu.

As for Negros Occidental, fully vaccinated individuals must comply with proof of vaccination; meanwhile, unvaccinated and partially vaccinated travelers at the ports are subjected to free Rapid Antigen Tests. [3] The government also accepts non-reactive Rapid Antigen Test results as long as the test is taken 48 hours before traveling, taken by a DOH accredited clinic or laboratory.

Three Manila–Bacolod–Manila flights per day will also be permitted for Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines, while two flights will be allowed for Air Asia. Additionally, airline companies can also have one more inbound cargo flight only, from Manila to Bacolod, another additional outbound flight from Bacolod to Manila.

Sea vessels can only carry 50% of their passenger capacity.

As for San Carlos City, the city government says that easing the travel requirements for travelers, particularly residents entering the city’s boundaries, would be practical.

The current policy was advised and signed by San Carlos City Emergency Operations Center Manager Joe Recalex Alingasa Jr. and approved by San Carlos City Mayor Renato Gustilo.

This advisory was then disseminated to shipping lines traveling the San Carlos City Toledo route. The policy was also announced and implemented to San Carlos City, Toledo City, and the Philippine Ports Authority substations.

However, a vaccination card and a valid, government-issued ID are required to show proof of residence.

As duly authorized by the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office or BTAO, the Lacson-Circumferential flyover located in Barangay Bata and the new bridge in Baranggay Sum-Ag will be temporarily closed for maintenance and repair from March 16 until March 23.

The rehabilitation of Bacolod City’s highway bridges shall be spearheaded by the Department of Public Works and Highways announced by BTAO Spokesperson Dennis Perma. While the bridges will be under repair and rehabilitation, a single lane will be partially opened exclusively for light vehicles only.

DPWH–Bacolod District Engineer Jamie Javellana says that the flyover will be newly covered with asphalt to not be dangerously slippery for vehicles and motors. They will also add more street lights along the flyover bridges.

BTAO has initiated to put up signs around the area for added safety.

Negros Occidental and Bacolod City is gearing up for a 2-day transport strike this March 21 and March 22, triggered by the increasing oil price hike last week.

This transport strike is “People’s Holiday”, to express resentments regarding the unending oil price increase. Oil companies are expected to continuously impose high price increases because of the Philippines’ problem in procurement, further sanctions imposed by the United States, and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Bacolod City logs zero active cases, having recorded thrice of no issues this year. Mayor Leonardia expressed hope towards the recent real-time reports, praising the efforts of Bacolod City’s Emergency Operations Center - Task Force and the cooperation of Bacolod City residents in following the health and safety protocols administered by the government and the health sectors.

Leonardia added that this does not mean complacence and continuously reminds Bacolodnons and anyone who visits the city to stay vigilant and ‘live with the virus cautiously’. [6]

For areas in Negros Occidental to hold festivals, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz convincedly says that everyone must get their vaccination first. [7] Even though the situation of the cases is improving in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, the province remains at Alert Level 2 since it has still not reached its supposed vaccination target, particularly in the age group of senior citizens.

Meanwhile, Bacolod City receives 30,000 more Pfizer vaccination doses for children. Delivery of vaccines for Negros Occidental is also to be followed within the week. The Pfizer vaccines will be for children ages five to 11 years old and will be administered through barangay vaccination centers to inoculate more children this month.

On the other hand, Governor Lacson announced that a house-to-house vaccination drive would be conducted due to the low rate of vaccinees during the 4th National Vaccination Days.

The government can no longer wait for the people to go to vaccination sites themselves, so a house-to-house vaccination initiative is needed, Lacson added. [9]

Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more travel and COVID-19 updates and guidelines in Bacolod and Negros!