CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - Provincial governors in the Northern Mindanao region have called on their constituents to remain vigilant and take preemptive steps ahead of the new coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) alert levels beginning Sunday, January 16.

In a response to queries on Facebook, Misamis Occidental Gov. Philip Tan on Saturday said those travelers coming to the province, and residents entering establishments, should bring their vaccination cards especially those among the qualified population.

In the absence of vaccination cards, Tan said an antigen test with a negative result can be an alternative.

"Wherever you go, bring with you your full vaccination card, or negative antigen test if there is no vaccination card. This will be the standard requirement in traveling going here (in the province), or entering (commercial) establishments. Wear your facemask always and bring alcohol with you," he said.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on January 14 placed Misamis Occidental on Alert Level 3, along with the provinces of Bukidnon, and Misamis Oriental through Resolution No. 157-A. Chartered cities like Iligan and Cagayan de Oro were also placed on this level.

The same resolution put the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Camiguin under Alert Level 2.

Lanao del Norte Gov. Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo expressed concern over the low vaccination rate in Nunungan town and renewed her appeal to its residents to get inoculated with Covid-19 vaccine.

Speaking during the Greening Activity and Groundbreaking Ceremonies for Torogan and Multi-Purpose Building in the vicinity of Nunungan Lake on Friday, Dimaporo said, though the confirmed Covid-19 cases in Nunungan are very few, its residents still need to get vaccinated.

She said a vaccination card is now also a requisite when going to offices whether government or private, and in malls and other establishments.

Dimaporo urged barangay captains in the town to be at the forefront in encouraging their constituents to be inoculated.

Camiguin Gov. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo issued Executive Order No. 1, series of 2022, that mandates returning residents or tourists traveling from the National Capital Region (NCR) or Luzon to arrive in the province within 72 hours from the time their swabs were taken.

Those coming from Visayas or Mindanao, meanwhile, must arrive in the province within 48 hours from the time they underwent swab testing.

"The acceptance of unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated returning residents from areas under Alert Levels 3, 4, or 5 shall be suspended," Romualdo said in the order.

As for tourists, only those who are fully vaccinated may enter the province.

A negative RT-PCR test result alone will not serve as a document for the unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated tourist to enter the province.

Meanwhile, all returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs), regardless of vaccination status and the country they departed from, must undergo facility-based quarantine upon their arrival in the province.

ROFs coming from green and yellow-list countries shall take a Covid-19 rapid antigen test on the seventh day while those from red-list countries shall take a Covid-19 RT-PCR test. Their quarantine will end upon the release of their negative test result. (PNA)