๐ฃ๐๐๐จ, ๐ฃ๐ก๐ฃ ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฉ๐ถ๐-๐ญ๐ต ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป; ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ญ๐ฏ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ผ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐, ๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐๐ต๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐น๐ผ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ
By: Joy Ann L. Gurtiza, GPC-LUPTO | Photos By: Jefferson Lorenzo, PIO | Date: July 3, 2021
To ensure that existing guidelines on border control and protocols are followed by tourists and passing through travelers entering the province, the Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) through the La Union Provincial Tourism Office (LUPTO) with the assistance of La Union Police Provincial Office (LUPPO) conducted heightened spot checks in three of the Tourist One Stop Shops (TOSS) or Border Checkpoints on July 3, 2021.
The spot inspection was led by LUPTO Officer-in-Charge Arthur S. Cortez, Jr., LUPTO-TOSS inspection team, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, 2nd La Union Provincial Mobile Force Company (LUPMFC) and La Union Provincial Police Office (LUPPO). Border checkpoints located at Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), Rabon and Udiao in Rosario, La Union were simultaneously inspected. The heightened operations enabled the inspection teams to strictly monitor compliance of travelers to border entry protocols.
Through the assistance of LUPPO and close coordination with local government unitsโ police stations in the province, the operatives apprehended 13 tourists from Metro Manila for giving false information about their travel. Investigation conducted by the San Juan, La Union Police Station revealed that the tourists entered through the Brgy. Rabon, Rosario, La Union Checkpoint and presented themselves as passing-by tourists bound to Baguio City but they subsequently went and checked-in at one of the beach resorts in Brgy. Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union. The 13 erring tourists, which included an employee from the Department of Health and a registered physician were invited to the police station by the joint personnel of San Juan Police Station and 2nd LUPMFC as they failed to present complete and valid documents in entering the province.
Said tourists were apprehended for violation of Section 9 (b) of the Republic Act No. 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act. They posted bail while waiting for the development of the case.
PGLU continues to enjoin everyone to cooperate with the full implementation of prevailing national and local health and travel protocols, including providing accurate and truthful information in the midst of the ongoing pandemic.
The PGLU and LUPPO are ready to prosecute violators as the safety of constituents remains as the priority of the province.
As of writing, the suspects availed their right to preliminary investigation by signing a waiver and were released from police custody by virtue of Discharge from Custody after posting their bail bond of PHP 3,000.00 each. The establishment faces investigation by the Department of Tourism for possible endorsement for temporary closure.
As of press time, La Union requires tourists to register and book through the Tara Na VISITA system and book their travel with a DOT Accredited La Union based Travel Agency. Tourists are also required to upload a negative RT-PCR CoViD-19 test results or Philippine Red Cross-administered PCR saliva test and a Government-issued Identification Card for their travel request to be approved.
