REMEMBERING A cemetery in Pasay City on Monday receives visitors paying respects to their departed relatives. Public cemeteries and private memorial gardens all over the country were closed during the traditional “Undas” (All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day) to avoid mass gatherings and as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19. —MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
MANILA, Philippines — More than 48,000 quarantine protocol violators were apprehended in the entire country on Monday during the celebration of All Saints’ Day, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported.
From October 16 to November 1, violators of protocols have reached 820,983. Of this number, 166,277 are from Metro Manila, with 10,230 violators reported on November 1 alone.
The violations were committed despite the nationwide closure of cemeteries in the country from October 29 until November 2, which was implemented to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
Most of the violators, comprising 652,917 of the total number, broke simple rules on minimum public health standards like wearing of face masks and face shields, and maintaining physical distance.
There were also 101,120 curfew violators, and 33,948 non-authorized persons who were outside of residence.
Of the total number of violators, 80 percent or 658,034 have been issued a warning; 13 percent or 55,640 were fined; and 8 percent or 55,640 received other penalties like community service.
Despite the recorded number of quarantine protocol violators, health officials earlier reported a significant drop in new COVID-19 cases nationwide with its reproduction number down at 0.52, according to OCTA Research.
The Philippines has reported 2,790,375 cases, including 43,185 active cases, 2,703,914 recoveries, and 43,276 deaths, according to the Department of Health.