People from “NCR Plus” areas, Cebu City, and Davao City will not be allowed to travel to Region VI or Western Visayas until Saturday, April 10, according to the national government’s pandemic task force.

Western Visayas includes popular tourism destinations like Boracay and Guimaras. It is comprised of the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental and the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases approved the request of Western Visayas officials to impose the travel ban as COVID-19 surges in Metro Manila, nearby provinces, and other cities.

The decision is formalized in the IATF-EID’s Resolution No 108, signed last Saturday, April 3.

Last Sunday, Iloilo province already said it would stop inbound flights from Metro Manila and Cebu from April 4 to 10.

An area dubbed “NCR Plus” – Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna – is under enhanced community quarantine until at least April 11 to address congestion in hospitals.

The IATF-EID also assigned National Task Force vs COVID-19 chairman Delfin Lorenzana, who is also defense secretary, or his duly appointed representative, to decide on future requests of local governments for a similar travel ban. – Rappler.com