BY AARON RECUENCO
The Philippine National Police (PNP) would likely forego any Christmas party for all its units nationwide amid the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a top police official said on Wednesday.
Instead of spending money for any party, PNP chief Gen. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan said the fund could be used to support the needs of the COVID-19 patients or procure food items that would be distributed to those whose livelihood was severely affected by the lockdown measures of the government.
“I am actually contemplating on no Christmas party of the PNP. They (PNP personnel) will understand that,” said Cascolan.
The concept of a food bank for COVID-19 affected people is essential, according to Cascolan, especially that Metro Manila mayors and other Local Government Units (LGUs) are contemplating on extending the General Community Quarantine until the end of the year.
“The food bank is there with a lot of sponsors of the PNP. If ever in December we are still in a GCQ or MGCQ at least we have the food bank to go around and we would be able to distribute food that is coming from the PNP and the sponsors,” said Cascolan.
He said the food items could be distributed to the poor in every barangays within the Areas of Responsibility (AORs) of the police commanders.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, who is the vice chairman of the National Task Force on COID-19, said that the holding of Christmas party will not be allowed since it would still fall on mass gathering which is among those being prohibited as part of the quarantine protocol.
With Año’s declaration, it is expected that the Christmas party for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Bureau of Fire Protection will also be prohibited.
The PNP, BJMP, BFP are all under the supervision of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) which Año heads.
