BORDER restriction between Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental will continue.
Lawyer Rayfrando Diaz, provincial administrator, said the province is not yet opening the border anytime soon.
He said the mayors of the towns and cities in the province are still concerned over the effect of lifting restrictions at the borders to the Oriental side.
“Negros Oriental is not threatened by us because we are successful in curbing the spread of Covid-19, but in their case, they still have many cases,” Diaz said.
Diaz said those coming through the airport are easier to swab unlike passengers onboard passenger buses, V-Hires and jeepneys since it is harder to identify where they rode and disembark.
As far as passenger travel is concerned, Negros Occidental is still restricted, he said.
Bimbo Miraflor, spokesperson of the provincial government of Negros Oriental, said the executive order issued by Governor Roel Degamo that there will be “strict border control” is still enforced.
Miraflor said the decision of the towns of Mabinay and Vallehermoso to open its borders to the neighboring Occidental side is a “unilateral discretion” on their part.
Vallehermoso is the last town of Negros Oriental in the north and shares boundaries with Guihulngan City.
Mabinay is situated in central Negros, bounded by Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental in the west and is a shorter route to Bacolod City, and Bais City in the east.
“It does not mean that if you can pass through the two towns you can immediately proceed to the next local government units- Guihulngan City and Bais City. We are negotiating with the two cities to establish a border control within their jurisdiction,” he said.