Bukidnon closes its borders to non-residents

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines —Starting midnight Friday, The local government of the province of Bukidnon will no longer allow the entry of non-residents to the landlocked province.

Governor Jose Maria Zubiri signed the order Friday while he was on self-quarantine after his son, Senator Miguel Zubiri, tested positive of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In his order, Governor Zubiri said only Bukidnon residents would be allowed entry to the province.

Zubiri said non-residents would be stopped at the major entry points of the province.

“Kini tungod sa kaayohan natong tanan (This is for all of us),” Zubiri said.

Foot bath, temperature check

Hansel Echavez, head of the Bukidnon Public affairs, Information and Assistance office, said passengers of buses and private vehicles would be asked to submit themselves to a foot bath and temperature reading at the entry points.

Echavez said commuters would be asked for government identification cards or proof of employment in Bukidnon before they could proceed to their destination in Bukidnon.

“They will not be allowed to proceed if they cannot produce documents that can prove they are Bukidnon residents,” Echavez said.

Bukidnon’s entry points

Echavez said the seven entry points of the province are: Alae, Manolo Fortich; Lorega, Kitaotao; Baungon; Libona: Talakag; Kalilangan and Damulog towns.

He said health teams would be waiting in these places to check on the buses and private vehicles.

“If you are on a private vehicle and one of your passengers is not from Bukidnon, that person will not be allowed to proceed with you,” Echavez said.

He said the same procedure will apply to passengers of public utility vehicles.

Echavez said commuters would be asked for government identification cards or proof of employment in Bukidnon before they would be allowed to enter.

He said municipal health teams would be on hand to check the body temperature and travel history of the Bukidnon residents.

“Residents having 38 degree temperature or more would be immediately sent to the hospitals,” Echavez said.

Truck drivers, health workers exempted

Echavez said the strict quarantine measure would not, however, include trucks ferrying food supplies, rice and agricultural products to and from the province.

He said drivers of trucks, who are not Bukidnon residents, would be exempted by the quarantine measures.

Echavez said also exempted would be government and humanitarian workers who were involved in the COVID-19 work.

Also exempted are the Armed Forces of the Philippines; the Philippine National Police and officials and employees of Bukidnon local government units./dbs