MANILA, Philippines – Police officers and barangay (village) officials have been tapped to make sure that students stay at their homes for the duration of the class suspensions in Metro Manila, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Tuesday.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the suspension of classes in the National Capital Region (NCR) from March 10 to 14, as a precautionary move against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) threat.
Año said the purpose of the class suspension was to prevent local transmission of the disease.
“The President has directed all local officials in NCR from mayor down to punong barangays as well as all units of the Philippine National Police to ensure that no children are seen loitering around and, if they are seen, they are to be immediately sent home to do their homework,” Año said.
“Our police officers and the barangay officials will serve as truant officers to ensure that kids stay at home. I have also directed all our Metro Manila mayors to personally direct their respective chiefs of police to implement the presidential directive so that local governments and the police will jointly implement this policy of the government,” he said.
On Monday night, President Duterte announced that the COVID-19 cases in the country have risen to 24, from just 20 on Monday noon, to 10 over the weekend, and to three for the month of February.
READ: Coronavirus cases in Philippines soar to 24
In reaction, Duterte placed the entire country under a state of public health emergency and order a suspension of classes in Metro Manila (National Capital Region).
“Classes will be suspended in [the] NCR [National Capital Region] beginning tomorrow and will end on March 14 — the reason being tignan natin incubation period,” Duterte said.
READ: Duterte declares emergency as COVID-19 cases double
READ: NCR classes canceled March 10-14 due to coronavirus threat
Año also asked for the cooperation of the parents, in order to keep their children safe from the disease. He also urged parents to monitor the activities of their children, given that the Department of Education will provide home assignments for students while classes are suspended.
As of Tuesday morning, there are 112,747 cases and 4,009 deaths due to COVID-19, with most of the incidents coming from China, its place of origin.
“In the Task Force Meeting last night in Malacañang, the DepEd said that they will give home assignments or performance tasks to all students so that they will have something productive to do during this period,” Año noted.
“We have no choice but to undertake these measures because public health demands it. Together with sustained hygiene (like regular handwashing, coughing etiquette, thermoscans and face masks), suspensions of classes and mass gathering will enable us to defeat this virus faster,” Año added.