Baguio City has been turning away 50 to 70 entrants daily at its borders as a result of stricter implementation of border protocols.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the common reasons for entry refusal were the lack of proper documents and non-essential purpose of travel.
From Aug. 1 to 21, a total of 377 were sent home for incomplete travel requirements.
There were 14 apprehended for presenting fake documents.
Border rule implementation was tightened as early as July to address gaps in drop-and-go and passing-through travels and later as part of the contingency measures against the more dangerous variant.
The mayor ordered stricter monitoring of all entrances to bar residents in areas placed under Enhanced Community Quarantine from coming to the city.
He urged personnel manning checkpoints and triages to be vigilant and discerning in their scrutiny of travel documents.
Magalong also wants to place Baguio City under a stricter quarantine status of General Community Quarantine with heightened restrictions to facilitate the implementation of more stringent control measures to manage the surge in Covid-19 cases.
He said although the city had tightened some of its quarantine rules since two weeks ago to a degree similar to that imposed under stricter quarantine status, a formal declaration is necessary to enable the city to carry out the restrictions in full force.
He said he had relayed the request to Department of the Interior and Local Government-Cordillera OIC Director Araceli San Jose. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
April 26, 2024
