Mountain Province has eased entry protocols and border restrictions to allow its residents to freely move and start to see economic recovery happening.
Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan, on the sidelines of the 34th Cordillera Day anniversary program on Thursday, said that
transportation and passengers are slowly going back on the road. “But still following strictly the capacity limit allowed so that our people can start getting back on their feet,” he said in Ilokano.
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, he said Mountain Province implemented a strict border protocol especially with the surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases that have even placed the province on the radar of the national Inter-Agency Task Force.
He said they have allowed an easier movement of residents and authorized persons outside residence (APOR) although there are still checkpoints at the provincial and municipal borders only to assure that there will be order.
“There are still checkpoints but not as strict as before when it was really difficult to enter the borders,” the governor said.
He added that some towns require negative test results, especially the municipality of Sagada which has consistently implemented strict border controls but generally, movement is easy.
Lacwasan, however, clarified that tourists are not yet welcome especially in the municipality of Sagada which is a favorite destination for local and foreign visitors.
“I spoke to Mayor (James) Pooten, he said they might partially open in September,” Lacwasan said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
