PNP eases rules on motorists amid MECQ in ‘NCR Plus’ bubble

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has loosened protocols concerning the movement of motorists under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the “NCR Plus” bubble.

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana on Monday said the police cannot implement “to the letter” absolute obedience in distinguishing non-essential and essential travelers as it may cause a “tremendous problem.”

Thus, he added, the police will only be conducting random inspections of vehicles to also avoid causing gridlock at checkpoints.

“If we are to expect our police officers to really implement to the letter ‘yun pong strict adherence sa essential and non-essentials it might really cause tremendous problem lalo na sa mga mananakay pati na rin po sa mga motorista kaya ang isinasagawa ho nila at random ho nilang inimplement,” he said.

(If we are to expect our police officers to really implement to the letter the strict adherence to essential and non-essentials it might really cause tremendous problems especially to commuters as well as to motorists so what they are doing is random.)

“There are times na merong pagluluwag na sinasagawa at ayaw din naming pong maging cause din ng mahabang traffic sa ating mga mamamayan so may mga tinatawag ho nating window kung meron man po ito ay isinasagawa na sa lokalidad na rin po,” he said.

(There are times when it is relaxed since we also don’t want it to be the cause of traffic jams for our people so there are what we call windows that are being carried out in the locality.)

Usana also said that the implementation of MECQ this year is looser compared to last year since the movement of individuals is generally allowed to keep the economy going. He pointed out that last year’s MECQ required quarantine passes.

“Let’s face it. If we are to compare, ‘yung nakaraang MECQ sadya ho talagang literally identified lang po ‘yung mga pwedeng mag-travel. Meron pa nga silang quarantine pass, merong APOR (Authorized Persons Outside Residence), meron po talagang ang mga establishment natin hindi po talaga nag-ooperate literally,” he said in an online press briefing when asked why the police allowed entries in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, without checkpoints on Monday morning.

(Let’s face it. If we are to compare, the previous MECQ had literally identified those who can travel. They even had a quarantine pass, there are APOR, there were establishments that don’t really operate literally.)

“More than half of our economy nag-lockdown din po. Ngayon ho, ang gobyerno in-allow pa rin ‘yung movement ng ilang sa ating mamamayan because of the fact na kailangan pa rin open ang ekonomiya kahit lockdown,” he continued.

(More than half of our economy was also on lockdown. Now, the government is still allowing the movement of some of our people because of the fact that the economy still needs to be open despite the lockdown.)

– Liezelle Soriano Roy, trainee

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