Tabuk ups border control, to check entry of visitors; Kalinga 3rd in Covid cases

By Jesse Maguiya  

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The city government has established a new checkpoint to prevent the entry of people who are undocumented in a bid to stop the spike in cases of Covid-19.
    Last Jan. 24, Kalinga ranked third in the Cordillera with the highest number of total active cases compared to the region’s total active cases of 1,344.
    Baguio City had the most number of active cases in the Cordillera with 470, followed by Benguet province with 362. Mountain Province had 197 active cases.
    Mayor Darwin Estrañero said he issued executive order 03-110 establishing a checkpoint at the area which connects to other Cordillera provinces, to assure that those who enter are also monitored and that they too undergo health and safety protocols.
    “We established a quarantine checkpoint at the headquarters of the 77th Infantry Brigade in Barangay Bantay after it was found out that travelers have been sneaking into Tabuk to avoid quarantine protocols at the border checkpoints,” Estrañero said.
    The road links the city to neighboring provinces such as Abra, Mountain Province, Ilocos Norte, and Cagayan traversing to other towns of Kalinga province through the towns of Tinglayan, Lubuagan, Pasil and Balbalan.
    The mayor’s order requires travelers coming from areas outside Kalinga using the said road in entering Tabuk to present a negative swab test result and or medical certificate issued by the local government unit (LGU) of origin, travel authority, and valid identification.
    The same requirement is imposed at the border checkpoint of Kalinga province with that of Tuguegarao, Cagayan.
    Meanwhile, travelers coming from the municipalities within Kalinga shall be required to present valid identification, a travel pass, and a medical certificate.
    For employees of government offices and private companies with official business in this city, they are required to present a valid travel order from their respective offices specifying the purpose and duration of their travel in Tabuk City.
    The order also requires that all returning residents and visitors shall be subjected to mandatory triaging at the Covid-19        Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facility in Barangay Agbannawag.
    Estrañero said the checkpoint is supervised by the City Health Office of Tabuk City and manned by personnel of the Philippine Army, police, rural health unit, and Barangay “Bantay”.
    Kalinga province had been posting a surge in Covid-19 cases starting January. From Jan. 10 to 17, Kalinga, which includes this city has recorded 216 new cases.
    It recorded the highest single record on Jan. 14 with 69 new cases. It is the same day when the Cordillera also recorded the highest number of single-day cases with 315. -- PNA