Traveling these days is not as easy as before pre-pandemic. There are different requirements needed in every border, there are protocols that have to be followed and so much more. I don't recommend traveling these days or going inter-island because a lot may change in the travel protocols in just a few days and you might end up getting stranded on the said island, just like what happened to us.
Anyway, this article is all about the process is going to Cebu from Bohol, but as mentioned, there might be changes to this process today so if you are traveling soon too, make sure to check on the latest guidelines instead of referring to this article, I am just going to share with you how we did it.
By the way, as I am writing this article, Cebu City and Cebu province has been placed in MECQ and the other parts of the country as ECQ because of the Delta Variant and in these types of community quarantine, essential travel is only allowed, staying at home is strictly required and that means, another set of two weeks being stranded here in Oslob.
Bohol to Cebu Province Travel Requirements
Our trip was last July 14, 2021. By that time, the requirement was just:
Rapid Antigen
S-Pass Travel Pass-Through Permit
Rapid Antigen, RT-PCR Negative Result
Aside from the hassle in securing these requirements for travel, we also need to shell out cash which is what makes traveling now in favor of those who are rich or those who have money. In our case, my husband's family misses their apo and James too so my husband had already planned for this, not knowing that there will be sad things happening on this trip.
A Rapid Antigen test can be done in many areas in Bohol. Thankfully, we have test kits in our own RHU or rural health unit. However, this costs a whopping Php 1500 for each person.
I was not afraid of getting swabbed as I had been swabbed before when I was pregnant. It was a requirement prior to getting admitted to a hospital.
The swab collection and result took only 30 minutes in all. It was raining that day, I inquired our local center about this and they asked if this is required in our travel, after a few minutes of question and answer, the health center personnel referred us to the municipal cashier and pay the said amount. A total of Php 3000 for my husband and me, baby Matti is spared from this nightmare.
The swab collection was a little harsh, I teared up a bit after the nurse took the swab stick out from my nose. I felt like it left something inside. My husband felt the same, he cried! I was laughing at him.
After 20 minutes, the results came in, we were both negative! Thank God!
This is only valid for 48 hours though so we have to be traveling within that time.
S-Pass Travel Pass-Through Permit
"S-PaSS is a travel management system developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) VI primarily intended to make traveling of Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs), Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs) Emergency Travelers (ETs), and other travelers during this pandemic Safe, Swift, and Smart".
In fact, the requirements in traveling are already stated inside S-Pass once one creates a travel application.
Registration is quite easy and the app web application only requires a phone number and email as well as some important details like name and address. The web app is also fast and so creating an account and making a travel application are both done fast and easy.
Inside S-Pass, I went into the Are You Traveling link and fill up the questions. After this, the requirements came into the screen:
Medical Certificate
Gov't Issued ID
Travel Pass-Through Permit (TPP)
While this states something about medical certificates, the shipping lines which we inquired to take informed us that they require the Antigen test results so the document also qualifies as a medical certificate. The only thing is that Oslob is not strict in implementing their travel protocols so that's why it didn't take a lot of effort compared to traveling from Cebu to Bohol.
Loon Bohol to Argao Cebu
Our planned trip was from Guindulman to Loon, we brought our private car with us because we have a baby. Based on our inquiry, the trips from Loon to Argao, Cebu happens every day by 8 AM and 3 PM but passengers are advised to be early because the shipping barge may depart earlier once they are already full.
We arrived at the Loon Port by one in the afternoon, we were two hours earlier and found huge vehicles lining up. My husband inquired about the process.
Step 1. Present Rapid Antigen negative results to the coastguard.
Step 2. Log in with the port guard to enter the port.
Step 3. Pay for Bill of Lading.
Step 4. Pay for Port Fees.
While it might sound easy, ours was not. On the way inside the port, we saw another vehicle arriving, we were first in the line but perhaps the passengers on that car were already knowledgeable with the process that they were able to get their documents stamped with the coastguard which also means they got inside the port first.
When we got into the port and my husband was about to inquire about the bill of lading, he was informed that we can't board the ship because only 1 private vehicle can already be accommodated and it was already taken by the first vehicle. It was supposed to be us but there was no time for arguing, my husband just waited as the personnel advised because they still need the vehicles to be positioned well inside the barge.
After a few minutes, my husband called me again and said we will be boarding the ship because two cargo vehicles were not able to board due to payment issues.
The trip took only two hours, there were only seats and there were less than 30 passengers on board. Most of the drivers of these vehicles were already very familiar with the ship so they all stayed on the ground floor. The rest of us were advised to stay on the second floor and there were only four-seat lanes taken.
By four in the afternoon, we arrived at Argao. The shipping barge departed an hour before their schedule though that's why we arrived earlier.
Argao Port Protocols
Upon arrival, we were asked to show our IDs and Antigen results again to the military personnel, he took a photo of the documents. This took only a few minutes, of course, we have to keep our face masks on our faces the entire time.
Then our car was disinfected twice when it arrived from the ship and on our way out of the port.
Oslob is still an hour away from Argao, it was almost dark when we arrived and Matti was all crying after seeing unfamiliar faces. He was not comfortable with them as he can't recognize anybody.
Today, he is already at ease and had recognized all the faces in James' household.
That's it. There are a lot of inquiries about traveling inter-island and all I could do is refer them to S-Pass because that has the answers to all the questions about requirements and travel protocols. Also, it is best to contact the shipping lines that you plan on traveling with to ensure that you can board the ship especially when there's a private vehicle involved.
xoxo,
mommy jean of momentswithmatti
Love harder than any pain you've ever felt.
Hehehey. I'm baaaaack. Hehe. Grabe talaga hassle ang pagtravel ngayon. Pero totoo para sa mga mapepera lang ang pagbyahe. Mga vloggers sabi ng nanay ko panay daw punta Boracay, Siargao, Cebu at kung saan man dito sa Pilipinas. Para ba daw bang hindi natatakot aa COVID. Saka na lang kami maglong travel kapag wala na mga restrictions. Sa tests pa lang ay lugi na. Pero at least wala ng quarantine pag dating sa pupuntahan.