NCRPO sees smoother implementation of quarantine by next week
MANILA, Philippines — There will be no road closures at access points to Metro Manila for now, just checkpoints, Police Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas told reporters at a press briefing on Sunday.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday approved hoisting Code Red Sublevel 2 over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and placing Metro Manila under community quarantine.
According to Sinas, director of the National Capital Region Police Office, the implementation of road closures around the capital is still up for verification and consultation, while existing passenger control measures amid the community quarantine would be improved on Monday.
Full implementation, during which vehicles will be flagged down, will also take place within this week the police chief said. The division of labor among the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines and other agencies are still being ironed out, he said.
At the media briefing, the police general also bared that there was also an enhanced stage of quarantine which only the inter-agency task force has the power to propose and declare after it had gone through the necessary process.
Thermal scanners
The PNP has not yet responded to inquiries from Philstar.com about reports that health workers were pulled out of checkpoints.
Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian on Sunday tweeted that PNP "pulled out our people" and replaced thermal scan procedures with a "quick checkpoint."
The original set up dapat may health workers po kami doing the check for fever. May thermal scans pero last minute the pnp bosses instructed na hindi na daw ganun ang set up. So they pulled out our people. The check points are operated by pnp and army so we have to follow.
— Rex (@rex_gatchalian) March 15, 2020
Sinas said that Metro Manila police are still waiting for more thermal scannersto be issued.
However, he also said that these scanners may instead be issued to the health department.
"We are waiting for the approval sa taas. About 50% of checkpoints have thermal scanners," he said.
"Kung wala na kaming makuhang scanner, 'yung mga scanner ng stations namin, i-redirect sa checkpoints."
(If we do not receive more scanners, we will bring the scanners at the police stations to the checkpoints)
Public transportation
Sinas highlighted that social distancing would be required in public transportation, pointing out that even IDs were to be required of passengers passing through Metro Manila .
"We must observe social distancing. Kung ang capacity ng bus ay 50, dapat ang nakasakay lang ay 25. Dapat one meter distance sa pila. Ang gagawin ng pulis, isisita sila."
(If the bus has a capacity of 50 people, only 25 people will be allowed on. There should be one-meter distance at queues.)
"Pati yung waiting area, dapat hindi tabi-tabi. At least may gap ng one chair para hindi siksikan."
(Even at waiting areas, they should not sit side by side. There should be a gap of one seat between them.)
Asked by Philstar.com how that can be implemented, Jerome Adonis, secretary general of labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno said he doubts that can be done.
"Mahirap po yan maimplement kasi tuwing rush hour dagsa ang pasahero," he said.
(At rush hour, there are so many commuters)
"Kahit nga walang standing sa bus dikit-dikit naman ang mga upuan. So walang distance ang mga pasahero."
(Even with no passengers along the bus aisles, the seats are close together, so there is no distance between passengers)
But Sinas said this depends on compliance by the riding public.
"It varies yan sa cooperation ng mga tao. Wala kaming definite time para diyan. For example, ang jeepney is required to have 50%. Pag ang jeep dumaan ng checkpoint [at lampas ng 6 persons], pababain [sila] at kakausapin ang driver. Hindi talaga namin siya papalampasin. "
(We will not let jeepneys pass if they have more passengers than allowed)
Should those being flagged down not comply, Sinas said, "Sa ngayon, ang guidance ay warningan lang. Dapat voluntary na susunod."
(For now, we will warn them)
"Pero pag may tigas-ulo, we're advising ipicturan niyo. We're also studying ay maglagay kami ng body cam. Para kung ma-disgrasya man, at least ma-pick up man," he added.
(If they refuse to obey, the police officer will take their picture. We're also studying using body cams in case of difficulties)
Possible infection among police?
Asked by reporters about concerns that members of the police force could also be carriers of the new pathogen, the police chief assured the public that the NCRPO had its own measures in place to deal with such a situation.
"Sa ngayon wala pa kaming case ng COVID, meron lang kaming mga PUM (Persons Under Monitoring) lang. Self-quarantine pa rin silang lahat," Sinas told reporters.
(As of now, we have no COVID cases but there are Persons Under Monitoring. They are still on self-quarantine)
He also said that checkpoint personnel would have limited hours.
"We have also decontamination process para ma-protect sila. Initially kung PUM sila, may building kami para doon sila mag self-quarantine kung gusto sila. Kung may symptoms, we send them to the right hospital."
(We also have a decontamination process to protect the police officers. Initially, if they are PUMs, they are sent to a building meant for self-quarantine. If they develop symptoms, we wil send them to the right hospital)
— Franco Luna with report from The STAR/Romina Cabrera
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