More Visayas and Mindanao LGUs lift COVID-19 test requirement

MANILA, Philippines — More local government units (LGUs) are opening their borders and simplifying their requirements for travelers.

Pagadian, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Tacloban and Butuan aside from Cebu no longer require a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or antigen test for travelers, according to budget carrier Cebu Pacific.

“We are encouraged by the efforts of these LGUs to open up their borders and simplify travel requirements,” Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and customer experience Candice Iyog said.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia had earlier said travelers bound for Cebu should present only a certificate that they have no symptoms of COVID-19.

Those traveling to Pagadian are required to present only a valid government-issued ID indicating their address in the city. Transiting passengers do not need to present any document.

Guimaras, Tacloban, Butuan and Negros Occidental, except Bacolod City, accept vaccination cards of fully inoculated individuals.

A passenger is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after having received the second dose in a two-dose series or one shot of a single-dose vaccine.

Meanwhile, the Baguio Tourism Council issued a resolution appealing to the city government to allow the entry of fully vaccinated individuals and those with negative swab test results on a limited capacity in a bid to reopen the tourism industry.