Romina Cabrera - The Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines — A total of 57 areas in Metro Manila are on granular lockdown under the new quarantine alert level system, with 11,808 people breaking health protocols on the first day of its implementation last Thursday, authorities said.
Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, spokesman for the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), told the Laging Handa media briefing yesterday that the 57 areas under granular lockdown are spread throughout all local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR).
“We had an orderly pilot run on the first day of implementation of the alert level system. LGUs were clear on the guidelines, which were the result of a series of consultations with the MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) and mayors,” Malaya said in Filipino.
He said LGUs have deployed marshals and officers to monitor compliance of establishments with the guidelines as more businesses are allowed to reopen under the new system.
He noted that there were unvaccinated individuals caught in barber shops and they were instructed to leave.
Malaya said LGU personnel and police have been ordered to intensify their enforcement of minimum health standards, as enforcing the rules across so many more establishments allowed to operate is a challenge.
“On the issue of warning (residents in lockdown areas), that’s in the hands of the LGUs,” Malaya said. “I must emphasize the granular lockdown is smaller and better (managed). Our goal in intervention must be to the smallest possible affected area. PNP flags 11,808 violators
The first day of the new alert level system with granular lockdowns was “generally peaceful” even if the Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded 11,808 health protocol violators.
PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said yesterday about 55 percent of these individuals flagged by the police were warned, 38 percent of them fined and seven percent charged with various violations of mandates against mass gatherings and wearing of masks.
“Compared to MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine) the past 26 days, we were averaging 12,600 violators per day.
So it’s almost the same number even though we all know that more people are expected outdoors because of additional permitted industries to operate,” Eleazar said.
Police personnel have been ordered to maintain their presence in outdoor leisure areas such as parks amid the enforcement of Alert Level 4 in Metro Manila.
“The presence of our uniformed personnel in these areas will serve as a reminder for our citizens to continuously observe the necessary protection for themselves and their companions,” he said.
Those who are not allowed outside their residences under Alert Level 4 are people aged below 18 and above 65; those with immunodeficiencies, comorbidities or other health risks and pregnant women.
These individuals will only be allowed to go out to access or obtain essential goods and services, or if it is for work in permitted industries and offices.
Like restaurants and other business establishments, tourist spots are also gradually opening.
In Manila, Rizal Park now allows the entry of a maximum of 500 people at a time, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said.
Several areas in Intramuros also reopened but under shortened hours of operation. Alert downgrade eyed. MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos said they are aiming to have a downgrade of the alert level once the pilot implementation of the new quarantine system lapses at the end of the month.“The challenge here is for us to be successful, because we (Metro Manila LGUs) are the pilot implementation. If we are successful, hopefully, we could go down one level so the economy would be more open,” Abalos told an episode of the “The Chiefs” aired on Cignal TV’s One News.
“The goal is to make sure that the region would be downgraded by one level, into Alert Level 3, so there would be an increased capacity of 30 percent (in business establishments),” he added.
