NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he agrees with the easing of the border controls in San Carlos City and Kabankalan City as active cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) continue to go down in the province.
Lacson said the San Carlos City-Vallehermoso border has been opened for a couple of months already.
But the governor said he cannot say if the opening of the borders in the area can be attributed to the high number of active cases of Covid-19 in the city.
Earlier, San Carlos City Mayor Renato Gustilo said that residents of Vallehermoso coming and visiting malls in their city are being required to register as a requirement to get QR (Quick Response) codes.
Gustilo admitted that they cannot detect asymptomatic carriers even if they will impose border control, but they are addressing those tested positive for Covid-19 through contact tracing and isolation.
Lacson said Kabankalan City Pedro Zayco told him that the City Government is allowing residents from the mountain town of Mabinay in Negros Oriental to enter the city.
"The business in Mabinay is highly dependent in Kabankalan City, especially banking and medicines," the governor said.
Lacson said Mabinay has zero cases, that is why Kabankalan is comfortable in opening up its borders to them.
He added that Mabinay residents are only allowed to enter the city an within 24 hours they should return home.
"I am ok with that," he said.
On the mountain borders of La Castellana, Himamaylan and Isabela, Lacson said the focus is on major borders.
"I am leaving it to the mayors to ensure that the low number of active Covid-19 cases can be sustained," he said.
Vallehermoso is the last town of Negros Oriental in the north and shares boundaries with San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, while Mabinay is situated in central Negros, bounded by Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental in the west.
