SECURITY CHECK A police officer manning a quarantine checkpoint in Zamboanga City stops a motorist to check his documents as the local government tightens health protocols due to a recent surge in COVID-19 infections. —PHOTO COURTESY OF ZAMBOANGA CITY INFORMATION OFFICE
MANILA, Philippines — Over 500,000 violators of quarantine protocols across the country were either given a warning or were fined between October 16 and October 26, data from the Philippine National Police (PNP) showed.
According to numbers from PNP released on Wednesday, most of the violators or 406,861 — 79 percent — were given warnings only, while 70,881 (14 percent) were fined. Another 34,424 or seven percent got other penalties.
Data also showed that a huge chunk of the violators broke rules on minimum public health and safety protocols, which includes the wearing of face masks, maintaining physical distance, and avoiding crowding and mass gatherings.
Of the health protocol violators, 327,410 were given warnings and 54,346 were fined.
PNP also recorded 56,560 curfew violators who were warned, and another 16,535 who were fined. There are also 22,891 individuals who were warned for staying outdoors even if they are not included in the list of authorized persons outside of residence (APOR).
In the National Capital Region, the trend appeared similar: 57,534 of the 102,670 violators in NCR were only warned (56 percent), 37,496 were fined (37 percent), and 7,640 were given other penalties (seven percent).
Most of the violations were also for minimum public health and safety protocols.
Of the health protocol violators in NCR, 44,491 were given warnings and 29,879 were fined.
There were also 12,491 curfew violators in NCR who were warned, and another 7,617 who were fined. There are also 552 individuals who were warned for staying outdoors despite not being an APOR.
Huge crowds
Authorities have seen a huge increase in people going outside, to areas of leisure in Metro Manila.
Over the past two weekends, police have noted huge crowds at different public spaces, like the Quirino Grandstand, mall grounds, and the dolomite beach at Manila Bay where crowds swelled to over 4,000 on Sunday.
People trooping to the Manila baywalk dolomite beach along Roxas boulevard in Manila city on October 17, 2021, a day after authorities eased its quarantine restrictions in the nation’s capital. (File photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)
The crowding forced authorities to temporarily close the area, while PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar tasked the Manila Police District (MPD) to talk with the local government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on creating a system that would limit the number of people entering the area.
Eleazar said this as viral videos and photos on social media showed children out of their homes for leisurely trips, and some people disregarding health protocols.
On Monday also, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque reminded the public that disregarding quarantine rules by crowding the dolomite beach may do more harm than good, as it may lead to a superspreader event if people become complacent.
The dolomite beach, a controversial project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, was initiated in 2020 in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was widely criticized by opposition groups as they believe the funds could have been allocated to the COVID-19 response.