‘Stricter’ border controls up in Bantayan Island
White sand beaches in Sta Fe Bantayan Island.(CDN PHOTO/TD)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Although sea travel from mainland Cebu to Bantayan Island in the north continues, both local and foreign travelers arriving via Santa Fe port will have to undergo stringent measures first before they will be allowed entry into the island.
Santa Fe Mayor Ithamar Espinosa issued a set of guidelines on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, disallowing the entry of local and foreign tourists that have no valid identification and have not completed the mandatory 14-day quarantine required by the provincial government of Cebu.
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, on Sunday, March 15, earlier ordered all international arrivals to undergo 14 days of mandatory quarantine.
Read: Cebu expands quarantine protocols to all int’l arrivals
Read: Cebu to ban entry of passengers from outside province
Foreigners arriving from any foreign country shall undergo a 14-day quarantine at their own expense.
While the provincial government has called off all in-bound domestic sea and air trips since March 17, Garcia earlier assured that the sea trips between Cebu’s island municipalities and barangays and the mainland will remain.
COVID-19 measures in Bantayan
According to the guidelines, all arriving tourists on the island via Santa Fe port cannot also enter the island unless they have a definite accommodation already.
“Tourism personnel will coordinate with possible accommodations while the nurse-on-duty will indicate the next location of the guest for proper monitoring,” the guidelines read.
The mayor also warned those, who would not heed the protocols of the border control, would deal with the police, who were already in place to interfere if needed.
Meanwhile, Daanbantayan, the northernmost town of Cebu province, has also implemented a limit in the travel of persons to and from the town.
Following the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew of the province, Mayor Sun Shimura has ordered that the trips of public utility vehicles going to and from the town shall only be from 5:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m./dbs
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