By Jerry Alcayde
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro – All returning locally stranded individuals (LSIs), repatriated overseas Filipino workers (ROF) and APORs (authorized persons outside residence) shall now be required to present negative results of swab tests before they are allowed entry into the province.
Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito A. Dolor has issued this latest order after the regional Department of Health (DOH) recorded a sudden increase in the number of infected persons with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that was attributed to LSIs, OFWs and APORS.
Under the temporary rule which took effect at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 19, only LSI, ROF and APOR with negative RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerace Chain Reaction ) test result for COVID-19 issued 24 hours from travel shall be allowed to enter Oriental Mindoro.
APORs from Oriental Mindoro, who shall travel outside the province by reason of employment, business or practice of profession, will be allowed to leave the province provided that they shall return within 24 hours from departure.
APORs, who fail to return to Oriental Mindoro within 24 hours from departure, shall only be allowed re-entry to the province if they have negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCT) test result issued within 24 hours from travel.
APORS who fail to present travel certificate from provincial government personnel at the point of exit shall be denied entry to the province.
“These are temporary rules which shall be effective immediately and shall be enforced until such time that the on-going extensive contact tracing is concluded,” Dolor said in his social media post as he stressed that they have seriously considered the circumstances which resulted in cases of local transmission of COVID-19 in the province, particularly in Calapan City where seven personnel of the National Bureau of Investigation tested positive last Friday.
The city health office of Calapan said the seven personnel, who were mostly assigned at the administrative section of the NBI regional office, were reportedly infected by a visiting NBI official who is now quarantined in Metro Manila after he tested positive with COVID-19.
The governor said that he has issued the new regulation after consulting with the regional directors of the Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).