PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar yesterday ordered police commanders in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus to closely monitor tourist attractions and leisure spots, especially resort facilities, which are now allowed to resume limited operations under the current heightened general community quarantine (H-GCQ) classification.
Specifically, Eleazar told police commanders to be on the lookout, in close coordination with local government units, for violation of minimum public health safety protocols, particularly physical distancing and the proper use of face masks and shields.
Eleazar said that with tourism and leisure establishments allowed to operate at 30 percent capacity, the PNP is expecting families and groups to take advantage of the opportunity to get out of their homes and enjoy the rest of the summer season.
He reminded the public that while the NCR Plus is now under GCQ with heightened restrictions until the end of the month, the government has not relaxed the enforcement of health protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to manage the spread of the coronavirus.
“While we understand that people are excited to go out of their residences, we just want to give a reminder that our situation will be prolonged if we violate IATF guidelines and we will not follow minimum health safety protocols,” said Eleazar.
“We have prepared for this and we will be closely monitoring all covered establishments,” he added when asked if police personnel will be deployed to NCR Plus bubble areas where there are plenty of tourist attractions and leisure spots, like Laguna and Rizal.
The PNP chief also reminded NCR Plus residents to restrict their travel within the bubble, reiterating that they are not allowed to go out of the bubble unless their travel is work-related.
Also, Eleazar repeated that non-essential travel is still prohibited in and out of the NCR Plus.
Meanwhile, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) yesterday said the additional P5.2 billion allocation for the quarantine expenses of returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will extend their lifeline to the early 4th quarter of 2021.
In a virtual press briefing, OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said they welcome the additional budget from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as this will enable them to provide assistance to more returning OFWs.
“Our estimate is that expenses will be at a little less than a one billion pesos a month,” Cacdac said.
He said it would have been enough for more months if the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases did not add extra days to the current quarantine period requirement.
The OWWA shoulders the accommodation, food, and transportation of all arriving OFWs while they await the results of their swab tests and complete the required number of quarantine days.
Last month, Cacdac disclosed that their budget for the accommodation and other forms of assistance being provided to returning OFWs would be depleted by the middle of May.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles last week said the DBM will allocate an additional P5.2 billion budget for OWWA.
As of the moment, Cacdac said there are 9,300 returning OFWs quarantined in 160 accredited hotels in the country.
He said this is higher than the 6,500 returning OFWs quarantined some three weeks ago or prior to the change in testing protocols for arriving travelers. — With Gerard Naval
