ILOILO CITY, Aug. 10 (PIA) -- The return of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) in Iloilo City, Bacolod City and Negros Occidental province is temporarily suspended.

This after the National Task Force against COVID-19 has granted the request of the two cities for a 14-day moratorium on the repatriation of their LSIs and ROFs starting August 8, said Assistant Secretary Jonji Gonzales of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas.

The approval came after the Western Visayas Regional Inter-Agency Task Force and Regional Task Force COVID-19 requested the National IATF COVID-19 through Resolution No. 28 for a 14-day suspension of flights, sea voyages and all forms of transportation for LSIs and ROFs of the province of Negros Occidental, Bacolod City and Iloilo City.

Gonzales, who was among the guests in today's Laging Handa Network Briefing of the Philippine Information Agency and hosted by Presidential Communications Operations Office secretary Martin Andanar, also said that the cities of Iloilo and Bacolod had the most number of recovered cases.

"Sa Iloilo City, good news kasi 66 na ang nag-recover while Bacolod City had 31 recoveries," he said.

He added that in Iloilo City and Bacolod City, they have imposed a longer curfew hours from 8pm to 4am to reduce the increase the number of cases in the area.

"Iloilo has also banned mass gatherings and banned alcoholic drinks despite na MGCQ sila, and individuals aged 55 ay hindi pwedeng lumabas at dapat mag-work from home lang," Gonzales noted.

In Guimaras province, the provincial government has reverted to stricter border and quarantine controls.

"Sabi ni Governor Samuel Gumarin, he issued an EO adapting the enhanced level 2 response, wherein only Jordan Wharf ang ina-allow para mag-port of entry ng Guimaras from Iloilo. 'Yung ibang wharf like Sebaste Wharf sa Sibunag, Puyo Wharf sa Nueva Valencia, and Tacay Wharf ay para lang sa mga delivery of goods and construction materials. Ito ay para maiwasan ang community transmission," he stressed.

Gonzales is the Laging Handa Network Briefing program guest every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. (JBG/PIA6)