IATF suspends travel of LSIs to Western Visayas, Iligan, Lanao del Sur

Locally stranded individuals (LSIs) will be prohibited from entering Western Visayas, Iligan City and Lanao del Sur for the meantime as the government seeks to contain the spread of COVID-19 in these areas, Malacañang said Tuesday.

This new policy was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on Monday, following requests of concerned local government units and the endorsement of National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr.

“The moratorium is effective only for 14 days from September 7 until September 21, 2020,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday placed Bacolod—a key city in Western Visayas—and Lanao del Sur under the more stringent modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from September 8 to 30.

Galvez made the recommendation to Duterte after observing an increase in infections in Bacolod and Lanao del Sur.

Iligan will also be under MECQ until the end of the month. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News