By FROILAN GALLARDO,
Special Correspondent

STARTING midnight Friday, the province of Bukidnon will no longer allow the entry of non-residents to the land-locked province.

Governor Jose Maria Zubiri signed the order Friday while he was on self-quarantine after his son, Senator Miguel Zubiri, tested positive of COVID 19.

In his order, Governor Zubiri said only Bukidnon residents would be allowed entry to the province.

Zubiri said non-residents would be stopped at the major entry points of the province.

“Kini tungod sa kaayohan natong tanan (This is for all of us),” Zubiri said.

Hansel Echavez, head of the Bukidnon Public affairs, Information and Assistance office, said passengers of buses and private vehicles will be asked to submit themselves for a foot bath and temperature reading at the entry points.

Echavez said commuters would be asked for government identification cards or proof of employment in Bukidnon before they can proceed to their destination in Bukidnon.

“They will not be allowed to go proceed if they can not produce documents that can prove they are Bukidnon residents,” Echavez said.

Echavez said the seven entry points of the province are: Alae, Manolo Fortich; Lorega, Kitaotao; Baungon; Libona: Talakag; Kalilangan and Damulog towns.

He said health teams will be waiting in these places to check on the buses and private vehicles.

“If you are on a private vehicle and one of your passengers is not from Bukidnon, that person will not be allowed to proceed with you,” Echavez said.

He said the same procedure will apply to passengers of public utility vehicles.

Echavez said commuters would be asked for government identification cards or proof of employment in Bukidnon before they are allowed to enter.

He said municipal health teams would be on hand to check the body temperature and travel history of the Bukidnon residents.

“Residents having 38-degree temperature or more would be immediately sent to the hospitals,” Echavez said.

Echavez said the strict quarantine measure will not, however, included trucks ferrying food supplies, rice and agricultural products to and from the province.

He said drivers of the trucks who are not Bukidnon residents are exempted by the quarantine measures.

Echavez said also exempted are government and humanitarian workers who are involved in the COVID-19 work. Also exempted are the Armed Forces of the Philippines; the Philippine National Police and officials and employees of Bukidnon local government units.