Bohol extends 5-day travel ban to April 12

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, March 20, (PIA)—Until the next 23 more days, or until way past the Holy Week, Bohol is not accepting anyone coming in, be they returning Boholanos or tourist visitors.

This as Governor Arthur Yap signed Executive Order No 14, which extended the suspension of domestic and international air and sea travel of passengers bound for Bohol.

The move, according to the order which the governor signed March 18, is a measure to combat the threat of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Bohol.

Last March 13, the governor signed Executive Order No. 08, which ordered the suspension of domestic and international air and sea travel of passengers bound for Bohol starting 12:01 AM of Monday, March 16, and this travel ban remains in effect until 11:59 of Friday March 20, 2020.

The five-day suspension allows for the preparation and institution of measures to address the ongoing threat of COVID-19 in the province, Gov Yap said in the order.

However, after the five-day period, the Technical Working Group on New Emerging Infectious Disease in Bohol (Bohol COVID-19 Task Force) recommended for the extension of the suspension of domestic and international air and sea travel of passengers bound for Bohol.

The recommendation, the EO states is based on the apparent lack of community awareness on self-quarantine protocols despite widened information dissemination, and the lack of barangay and municipal isolation units, where barangays must be able to put up enough isolation units equivalent to 5 percent of its population.

While some barangays may not have the capacity and the financial capability to put up the same, school buildings, which have been temporarily vacated due to suspended classes, can be used as alternative isolation centers, but it has to be coordinated and approved by the education department yet.  

The TWG said transport protocols need to be in place, and that the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams also need to undergo more orientation and training on new COVID-19 protocols.

Moreover, the TWG sees that the mandated Central Isolation Center (CIC) is not in place yet here.

Corollary to the need for a CIC is the other infrastructure and manpower complement needed for it to operate, the need for personal protective equipment and other supplies that that still sangged in the procurement processes, the operational guidelines still in the process of crafting and the test kits and swabs are still very limited.

As regards the implementation of self-quarantine, the TWG noted a substantial number of returning residents classified as patients under monitoring have not complied with the 14-day home or self-quarantine.

The TWG also in its recommendations see violations in the travel ban that they noted the need to further strengthen coastal security.

While violations in social distancing in public areas is still prevalent, the TWG also said the lack of compliance on the Department of Transportation protocols by transport operators has pushed for reasons to recommend the 25-day extension in the travel ban.

Finally, the extension, according to the TWG, will give Bohol ample time to assess the exponential growth of COVID cases outside Bohol.

SECURING BOUNDARIES. Members of the Philippine Coast Guard question a group of fishermen for being out at sea when the curfew was implemented. They were made to present proper documents to identify themselves. PCG had express instructions not to allow small boats especially from Cebu to cross to Bohol. (PIABohol/PCG Bohol)

ANTI-COVID CORELLA. Elements of the Corella Police Station prepare for a curfew implementaion with a station produced and manufactured face mask whcih their women police officers sewed, as the curfew in Bohol gets extended until April 12. (PIABohol/Corella PS)