BY CHITO CHAVEZ
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered all local government units (LGUs) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday to implement a crackdown on all quarantine violators and strictly enforce health protocols in all barangays due to sudden rise of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.
This came after the country’s daily COVID-19 cases breached the 3,000-mark the past three days starting on Friday last week.
Based on the latest Department of Health (DoH) case bulletin, the total number of active cases in the country reached 3,045 on March 5; 3,439 on March 6; and 3,276 on March 7.
In the same DoH report, it was noted that the COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila, Region 7 and Calabarzon reached 1,533, 491 and 341, respectively on March 7.
DILG officer-in-charge (OIC) Bernardo C. Florece, Jr. asked Joint Task Force Shield Commander Lt. Gen. Cesar Hawthorne Binag to increase police visibility and strictly enforce minimum public health standards in Pasay City, Malabon City, Navotas, Cebu City, and Cebu Province which have registered upswings in COVIDS-19 cases.
“Naging kampante ang ating mga LGUs maging ang PNP sa enforcement ng ating mga minimum health standards kayat inaatasan ko ang ating mga local officials kasama ang mga barangay at kapulisan na puspusang ipatupad ang basic health protocols sa lahat ng barangay sa ating bansa,” said Florece.
Florece stressed that wearing face masks and face shields and physical distancing should be strictly imposed in all LGUs, and violators should be fined based on the prevailing ordinances. (Chito Chavez)
