BY AARON RECUENCO
Police forces have been advised to implement the prohibition of public display of affection (PDA) in a bid to help contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold M. Sinas said PDA prohibition, which includes holding hands while walking together or kissing in public, has long been a policy when the national government stepped up the quarantine measures due to the invasion of the COVID-19 in the country last year.
“It was already a policy before. But this was not strictly implemented because of the lifting of some restrictions,” said Sinas.
“We are just stepping up its implementation because even the locals are already alarmed because COVID-19 cases went up again. So PDA, hawak-hawak sisitahin na rin ‘yan,” he added.
PNP spokesman Ildebrandi Usana, however, said that the prohibition on PDA is not only limited to couples or lovers. He said the prohibition includes close friends, family clans and other groups of people.
“Physical, social and romantic relationships. Those are sights we can find especially when some commercial, tourism, and or recreational establishments have reopened for them. The virus may be right before them,” said Usana.
“Infection happens to families, it can happen to anyone, anywhere. People should maintain being cautious from the spread of the virus. And if you love your spouse, your children, you have to be aware of the minimum health and safety protocols,” he added.
Usana said that based on their background check, prohibition of PDA was part of the previous advisory from the national government since the start of the strict implementation of the quarantine rules in March last year.
As such, Usana emphasized that PDA prohibition is not a new policy, noting that it was part of the minimum health safety standard protocols that include physical distancing and wearing of a face mask and a face shield.
