Public urged to cooperate on reimposition of longer curfew in NCR

MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, on Sunday called for public cooperation on the reimposition of longer curfew hours in the National Capital Region (NCR) amid the threat of the more contagious Covid-19 Delta variant.

“Hindi na bago ang pagkakaroon ng mas mahabang curfew hours sa Metro Manila kaya inaasahan natin ang pagsunod ng ating mga kababayan sa patakarang ito (It is not new to have longer curfew hours in Metro Manila, so we expect our countrymen to follow this policy),” Eleazar said in a statement.

The Metro Manila Council shall reimpose longer curfew hours from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. beginning Sunday after the NCR was placed again under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions.

Eleazar urged the PNP front-liners to be courteous in approaching violators of curfew hours.

“At inaasahan ko din ang pagrespeto ng ating mga kababayan sa patakarang ito at pati na rin sa mga taong nagpapatupad nito (I also expect our countrymen to respect this policy as well as the authorized persons who enforce it),” Eleazar said.

The Metro Manila mayors also agreed to reimpose longer curfew hours after the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed cases of local transmission of Delta variant. At least 64 cases were already reported in the country in the past few days.

Through these curfew hours, the movement of the public will be limited, according to MMC, the policy-making body of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Eleazar said the longer curfew hours are necessary to help contain the spread of the Delta variant, described as more virulent based on what happened in India.

He also expressed confidence that the decision for longer curfew hours would no longer result in arrests and other unnecessary confrontations between the violators and people enforcing the rule, including policemen and barangay tanod (village guards).

Eleazar also tasked local police officers to make sure that children five years old and above will not go out in public areas after the national government prohibited again kids from going outdoors.

“Ako ay humihingi ng pang-unawa sa ating mga kababayan sa pagbawi ng alituntunin tungkol sa paglabas ng mga bata edad lima pataas bilang parte ng layunin ng pamahalaan na pigilan ang pagkalat ng mas nakakahawang Delta variant ng Covid-19 (I am asking for the understanding of the countrymen on the decision to cancel the policy allowing children ages five and up as part of the government’s goal to prevent the spread of the more contagious Delta variant of Covid-19),” Eleazar said.

Eleazar said he expects all chiefs of police to initiate measures to ensure the implementation of safety measures to protect civilians in their respective areas of responsibility.

He also appealed to the parents to watch their children and to not let them go outdoors.

“Huwag hayaang lumabas ng bahay dahil mas delikado ang Covid-19 Delta variant na ating binabantayan sa ngayon. Mas delikado ito dahil mas mabilis itong makahawa at ang mga bata ay maaaring magsilbing super spreaders kapag sila ay na-expose sa coronavirus (Do not let them out of the house because the Covid-19 Delta variant we are monitoring right now is more dangerous. It is more dangerous because it is more contagious and children can serve as super spreaders when they are exposed to the coronavirus),” he added.