
MANILA – Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said on Tuesday that once the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila is implemented on August 6, local government units (LGUs) and the police force will collaborate together more closely.
“It is the mayors that requested more PNP (Philippine National Police) officers to be deployed in vaccination sites, ayuda (assistance) distribution points, and along the borders to enforce the public health standards and community quarantine protocols,” Año said.
The statement came as the government announced that those who receive coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines are regarded as authorized persons outside of residences (APOR).
Due to the short time allowed and the fact that some beneficiaries do not have smartphones that can be utilized for digital transactions, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) indicated on Tuesday that LGUs could manually distribute financial aid to ECQ-affected households.
From August 6 to 20, Metro Manila will be under ECQ to prevent the spread of the highly transmissible Covid-19 Delta variant.
In a radio interview on Tuesday, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. reminded Metro Manila residents who are spending their vacation in nearby provinces that they have until Thursday to return home to prevent disruption.
Quarantine checkpoints will be set up throughout Metro Manila’s border and neighboring provinces beginning Friday, with curfew hours from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.