The Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded more than 20,000 quarantine violators during the first day of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
According to PNP Chief Police Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar on Saturday (Aug. 7), a total of 20,511 individuals were apprehended, fined, and warned for violating various public health and safety guidelines.
The violators came from the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble.
Quoting data from the Joint Task Force COVID-19 Shield, Eleazar said that from Aug. 6 to Aug. 7, 5,781 out of 20,556 violators were punished in relation to the implementation of uniform curfew hours.
Meanwhile, 14,775 were sanctioned for violating the minimum public health standards like the wearing of face mask and face shield, avoidance of mass gatherings, and observance of physical distancing.
“Maka-aasa ang ating mga kababayan na patuloy po at lalo pa naming paiigtingin ang pagbabantay sa mga quarantine control points lalo na sa mga lugar kung saan may mataas na bilang ng mga kaso ng Delta variant ng COVID-19,” Eleazar said.
“Muli po ay hinihingi namin ang disiplina at kooperasyon ng bawat mamamayan para hindi na lumala pa ang sitwasyon natin sa kasalukuyan,” he added.
Distribution of ‘ayuda’
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) along with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Department of National Defense (DND) issued joint guidelines last Saturday for the government’s promised cash aid for areas under ECQ.
Pursuant to Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 3, s. 2021, local government units under NCR may begin distributing “ayuda” next week.
The LGUs will be given 15 days to finish the distribution of the cash aid. They can, however, ask for an extension if needed.
DILG Sec. Eduardo Año said that LGUs should also establish a Grievance and Appeal Committee which will focus on citizen’s appeals regarding financial aid.
A total of P1,000 will be given to every individual or a maximum of P4,000 per household.
Meanwhile, DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya warned the public against fake news spreading about the vaccination and the “ayuda”.
“There is no truth whatsoever to the rumor that only vaccinated individuals will be given ayuda. The Ayuda 2 approved by the President is for low-income individuals and families in the National Capital Region (NCR) regardless of vaccination status,” Malaya said in a statement released on Aug. 5.
Malaya said the vaccination program will continue during the two-week ECQ.
“Moreover, the DILG wishes to reiterate that the vaccination program in all local government units (LGUs) will continue during the 2-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period and some 4M additional vaccines will be made available as supplies continue to pour in. In fact, we will utilize the 2-week lockdown to ramp up vaccination in Metro Manila in cooperation with the LGUs in order for us to reach population protection this year,” he said.
“All individuals scheduled for vaccination will be considered Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs) and will be allowed to pass by our checkpoints upon presentation of vaccination schedule,” he added. – Report from Ryan Lesigues/PG-rir
