Eleazar orders cops to be alert, set up police assistance desks for ‘Undas’ 2021

MANILA, Philippines — Various police offices nationwide have been ordered to set-up police assistance desks, while coordinating with local government agencies, to prepare for the influx of people to cemeteries during this year’s All Souls Day.

According to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, the setting up of assistance desks in strategic locations is meant to ensure the safety of the public as they visit their deceased relatives’ graves.

All Souls’ Day is a Catholic Church event that falls on November 2, but several people are expected to visit weeks prior as cemeteries would be closed by late October and early November, to avoid huge crowds that may lead to COVID-19 transmissions.

“Inaasahan na ng inyong Philippine National Police ang pagdagsa ng ating mga kababayan sa Metro Manila sa mga sementeryo at memorial parks lalo na at may abiso na isasara ang mga ito sa Undas,” Eleazar said.

(The Philippine National Police is expecting the influx of people in cemeteries and memorial parks in Metro Manila especially with the advisory that these will be closed by All Souls’ Day.)

“Dahil dito, inatasan ko na ang ating mga chiefs of police lalo na sa Metro Manila na makipag-ugnayan sa mga lokal na pamahalaan upang makontrol ang pagdagsa ng tao, kabilang dito ang pagtatayo ng police assistance desk sa mga entry points para limitahan ang bilang ng mga taong papasok upang bisitahin ang kanilang mga namayapang mahal sa buhay,” he added.

(Because of this, I have tasked the chiefs of police, especially in Metro Manila, to coordinate with the local governments to control the influx of people, along with the setting up of police assistance desks in entry points to limit the number of people who would come in to visit their departed loved ones.)

Eleazar said that the police officers are also tasked with limiting the number of people that may enter a cemetery or a memorial park, to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infections.

“Nakikiusap din ang inyong PNP sa ating mga kababayan na sumunod sa mga patakarang ito upang hindi maging super spreader ang Undas 2021,” PGen Eleazar said.

(The PNP is also pleading to the public to follow rules and regulations placed to ensure that the All Souls’ Day would not be a super spreader event.)

Aside from this, Eleazar also directed the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) to ensure that the new curfew hours in Metro Manila — from 12 midnight to 4:00 a.m. starting October 13 — would be properly implemented.

The PNP chief said that the police force has been reminded to remain alert and ensure that streets in the National Capital Region would remain peaceful.

“Sa kabila ng mas pinaigsing curfew hours dito sa Metro Manila, pinapaalalahanan ko pa rin ang ating kapulisan na patuloy na maging mapagmatyag at siguraduhing matahimik, mapayapa at ligtas ang bawat lansangan dito sa Kamaynilaan,” he explained.

(Despite the shortened curfew hours in Metro Manila, I am still reminding the police officers to stay alert and monitor threats to ensure that streets in the capital region would remain peaceful and safe.)

“Maaaring samantalahin ng masasamang loob ang mas pinaikling curfew para gumawa pa rin ng krimen at ilagay sa kapahamakan ang ating mga kababayan. Inaasahan ko na magiging alerto ang ating mga pulis at mapapanatili nila na walang lilisaw-lisaw sa lansangan sa oras ng curfew,” he added.

(Criminal elements may take advantage of the shorter curfew hours to do illegal activities which may place the public in peril.  I am expecting that our police officers would be alert, and be able to ensure that no one loiters along the roads during the curfew hours.)

The curfew hours came after COVID-19 cases in the country appeared to be on a downward trend, after a surge in cases brought by the Delta variant last August and September.

As of Wednesday, the country’s active case count went down to 82,411 after the Department of Health (DOH) only recorded 7,181 new infections.  The total number of confirmed cases is now at 2,690,455.

However, DOH also clarified that the low number of cases is due to a low laboratory output.

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