Malay town in Aklan ended the implementation of border checkpoints for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Sunday midnight.

Covid-19 checkpoints were established through Executive Order No. 4 issued by municipal mayor Frolibar Bautista last February 7.

The checkpoints manned by border patrols were meant to prevent entry of all persons with travel history from China, Macao, and Hong Kong for the past 14 days as a precautionary measure to stop the spread of Covid-19.

The mayor issued Executive Order No. 5 which lifted the implementation of the border checkpoints.

Bautista said the checkpoints have been an effective measure to assure that Malay, especially the famous beach destination Boracay Island, is free from the virus.

“It has helped a lot and it was a successful action taken of the local government unit. It has not created any problem,” he said.

Citing the Municipal Tourism Office, Bautista said there are a total of 3,697 tourists who arrived in Malay as of February 14.

He said Feb. 15 is the 15th day since China imposed its lockdown.

Feb. 15 also marked the end of 14-day incubation period imposed by the Department of Health (DOH) for persons with travel history to China, Macao, and Hong Kong.

While Malay ended its border checkpoints, Bautista said there will still be stringent monitoring of visitors entering Boracay Island through Caticlan Jetty Port and Passenger Terminal.

“We will still check if the visitors have with them proper documents like passports and identification cards,” he said, adding that there will be continuous monitoring for those with symptoms at the Caticlan Jetty Port.

Last Feb. 11, border patrols deployed in the boundaries of Malay town stopped some 45 Chinese nationals on board a bus attempting to visit Boracay Island.

The tourists have presented photocopies of their passports, which did not reflect their previous destinations, Bautista said.

The mayor stressed that Malay remains to be free from the virus, as there are no confirmed cases of patients under investigation (PUIs) in town.

Bautista also expressed his gratitude to tourists and locals who had been cooperative while the government implemented precautionary measures against COVID-19.

“I am very thankful to the tourists, locals, and also our border patrols who helped us in protecting the town from the virus. We have not faced any problem in implementing the checkpoints,” he said.PNA