Public urged to refrain from going out of homes under eased quarantine

MANILA, Philippines — The law enforcement arm of the Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases on Monday urged the public to refrain from going out of their houses as quarantine measures against the further spread of the coronavirus disease were eased in most parts of the country.

Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, commander of the Joint Task Force COVID Shield, reminded the public that the threat of the coronavirus is still present and that unnecessary travel will only endanger lives.

“Ipinapa-alala ko lang sa ating mga kababayan na pinayagan ng ating pamahalaan na magbukas ang ilang mga business establishment para sa po ating ekonomiya, hindi para tayo ay mag-lakwatsa,” Eleazar said in a statement, as people flocked to malls when quarantine measures were relaxed in most parts of the country on May 16.

(I just want to remind the public that the government allowed some business establishments to open for our economy, not for us to loiter around.)

“Irespeto lang po sana natin ang ating mga manggagawa na siyang prayoridad ng ating pamahalaan para tulungang pasiglahin muli ang ating ekonomiya at mabigyan ng oportunidad muli na kumita at buhayin ang kanilang pamilya,” he added.

(Let us respect our workers who are the priority of the government so that they can help the economy recover, [and who were allowed to go out] so they can earn for their families.)

Eleazar warned that the task force may facilitate the shutdown of malls if they continue failing to enforce physical distancing among mall-goers.

He said that in coordination with Philippine National Police chief Gen. Archie Gamboa, the joint task force has already instructed police commanders to strictly monitor compliance of malls and other establishments to heath protocols on a daily basis against the spread of the new coronavirus.

Meanwhile, PNP Highway Patrol Group director Brig. Gen. Eliseo Cruz also said that he had already instructed his subordinates to continue setting up mobile checkpoints and conduct random checking of vehicles.

“Their vehicles may not be checked in Quarantine Control Points but if my men found out that they are not allowed to go out or they are violating the physical distancing inside the vehicle during mobile checkpoint and random inspection, we will make sure that we will hold them accountable,” he said.

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