FILE Members of Inter-Agency Council for Traffic-Special Operations Unit apprehend public utility vehicles for violating health protocols and the 50% maximum seating restrictions implemented during Enhance Community Quarantine in National Capital Region bubble plus along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City last April 11, 2020. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER
MANILA, Philippines — Fetching authorized persons outside of residence (APOR) to and from their workplaces will not be allowed during the two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday.
PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said this kind of practice is prone to “abuse” and may be used as an excuse for non-APORs to go out of their residences despite the stay-at-home order under ECQ.
“‘Yun pong workforce APOR na lalabas dahil sila ay magtratrabaho, papaano naman daw kung di sila mag-drive at magpapahatid na lang sila sa kotse o motorsiklo? Ngayon po, kung kayo ay workforce APOR e hindi ka pupuwede magpahatid kung hindi ka marunong mag-drive,” Eleazar said in an interview with Teleradyo.
(The workforce APOR who will go out because of their jobs, what if they don’t drive and just be fetched by a car or a motorcycle? Right now, if you’re a workforce APOR, you’re not allowed to be fetched if you do not know how to drive.)
Workforce APORs include medical workers and those working in essential establishments like restaurants, supermarkets, banks and the like.
Eleazar reasoned that public transportation’s 50 percent capacity will be retained during the ECQ.
“Ito po yung pwedeng abusuhin e. Ano ba naman yung magddrive ka magisa sa sasakyan, hindi ka APOR, tapos sasabihin mo ‘Ay pasensya, ako po’y naghatid’ o kaya ‘Ako’y pupunta sa isang lugar susunduin ko po si doktora o kung sino man,’” Eleazar said.
(This can be abused. One is not an APOR could be driving a car and say “I’m sorry, I fetched somebody” or “I will go to this place to fetch doctor or whoever.”)
“Alam po natin na maaapektuhan yung iba, kaya lang mas matindi po kasi yung abuso na puwedeng mangyari kung hindi natin macocontrol yan. Anyway, tuloy rin naman po yung public transport. Ito rin po ang purpose niyan na talagang malimit yung lalabas,” he added.
(We know this will affect some, but the abuse that might happen could be worse if we don’t control that. Anyway, the public transportation will continue to operate. That’s the purpose, to limit people going outside.)
Eleazar asked the public for understanding over the policy.
From August 6 to 20, Metro Manila will be under ECQ to prevent further transmission of the COVID-19 Delta variant.