By Rey Anthony Chiu/PIA-Bohol | 08:20 AM August 18, 2021
The two-week suspension of air and sea travel to Bohol continues as Governor Arthur Yap, through an Executive Order, extends the inbound travel to the island for another 11 days.
Through Executive Order No 40 series of 2021, the governor effectively extended to the ban on non-essential travel to Bohol from August 6 to 20, to August 31, effective as soon as the efficacy of the earlier Executive Order 37, series of 2021 lapses on August 20.
The governor, in the new order said the reason for the extension is because of the continuing surge of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the whole country brought about by the new variants of concern.
The governor was particularly citing the Delta variant, among other variants of concern and of interest.
The decision came about, during the Bohol Inter-Agency task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases meeting with Bohol mayors, IATF medical task Group, the officers of the Provincial Tourism Council and the Bohol Association of Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants, last August 16.
The said groups recommended the extension of the suspension of travel by non-Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs) across Bohol borders through air and sea.
The extension would be until the last minute of August 31, 2021.
And just the same as the earlier orders, the travel ban excludes health workers on official business, authorized government officials, those traveling for humanitarian reasons.
It also includes returning Overseas Filipino Workers, persons providing basic services and public utilities and bank personnel and other bank employees who shall enter Bohol to replenish cash funds and other supplies which are essential to the flow of local banking and financial services.
Outside travel from Bohol however remains open, but these are subject to the entry protocols imposed in the place of destination.
The order also extends the applicability and effectivity of the sections of the earlier executive order especially on the testing and quarantine protocols for entering APORs and strict border control protocols at all ports and airport of entry, as well as the penal provisions set by applicable laws and local ordinances. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
