SAN FERNANDO CITY, Mar. 8 (PIA) -- The Provincial Government of La Union still requires the negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result for individuals who will be coming from high risk areas as identified by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

This is as declared in Executive Order (EO) No. 3 series of 2021 issued by Governor Francisco Emmanuel Ortega III on March 1 in amendment of EO No. 35 series of 2020.

"This is to align with the policies set forth by the national government, there is a need to set the travel protocols for individuals coming to the province," the EO reads.

In Section IV of the IATF Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the country, "The movement of the all persons in areas placed under GCQ shall be limited to accessing essential goods and services, and that movement for leisure purposes shall not be allowed."

Effective March 8, all individuals, may he or she be a resident or non-resident will have to present a negative swab test result upon entering the provincial borders.

These include returning residents who stayed in areas under GCQ/MECQ/ECQ status for more than 14 days for work or business and those who were from unofficial travel for more than seven days.

Their negative confirmatory result must be issued within the last three days prior to their arrival.

Non-residents from work or business, on the other hand, will have to present negative results issued within 30 days from testing and for those from non-official travel, must be issued within seven days before their actual date of travel.

For travelers with humanitarian assistance purposes, results must be issued within the last 30 days.

Along with this is their registration in the NAPANAM Contact Tracing System.

Documents such as copy of any government-issued ID, certificate of employment and any proof of residence are also some of the basic requirements.

The EO also states that travel authority from the PNP and medical certificates are no longer required, except for individuals from said high risk places.

Governor Ortega emphasized that local chief executives of component municipalities and city are urged not to issue conflicting requirements for a uniform protocol.

Meanwhile, requirements for tourism purposes are yet to be updated as the provincial government is expected to release a separate EO in the coming days. (JCR/VHS/CGC, PIA La Union)