Task force urges public to get used to checkpoints, curfew
Joint Task Force COVID Shield on Thursday urged the public to get used to checkpoints and curfew as it will be part of the 'new normal’ under the government’s plan to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) until a vaccine is discovered.
Police Lt. General Guillermo Eleazar, JTF commander, said while the government has eased the community quarantine restrictions, the fact remains that the virus will continue to threaten Filipinos.
“Our President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has allowed the lifting of some restrictions in order to re-open the economy and to turn the situation into the most normal as possible because we cannot afford to have strict quarantine rules at the expense of our economy and our people,” Eleazar said.
“But the President himself and his crisis managers said that in lifting some restrictions, the minimum health standards should still be implemented such as wearing of face masks, observance of physical distancing and prohibition of unnecessary travel,” he added.
In coordination with the Philippine National Police, checkpoints and implementation of curfew are part of measures to prevent unnecessary travel.
Eleazar said there will be two kinds of checkpoints. One is through the Quarantine Control Points (QCPs) and the Dedicated Control Points (DCPs) for cargo and delivery trucks.
Second are mobile checkpoints where random checks in any part of the road will be done for private vehicles.
There are 4,398 QCPs and 115 DCPs across the country.
The QCPs are manned and supervised by the police and the military while the DCPs are under the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG).
Eleazar said the HPG will be in charge of mobile checkpoints in coordination with the local police force.
Mobile checkpoints aim to complement the QCPs which are expected to let go of the vehicles to prevent monstrous traffic jams.
“We cannot check all the vehicles because it will defeat the purpose of partially re-opening the economy. The solution here is to have mobile checkpoints,” he said.
The QCPs and the mobile checkpoints will be complemented with the frequent beat patrosl in various communities, especially in urban areas, not only as part of the anti-crime measures but also for the implementation of curfew.
“The strict implementation of curfew is not only for the protection of our workers who go out for a nightshift or who go home during nighttime, it is also necessary to ensure that those who have no business going out should stay at home and make the most of the time bonding with their families instead of risking themselves to be infected by the coronavirus,” said Eleazar.
Strict implementation of the community quarantine rules which include curfew has been found to be effective in preventing more infection and deaths as revealed by a study of experts from the University of the Philippines.
“We appeal to the public to get used to these checkpoints and curfew as part of the new normal. This is not about restraining their rights, this is all about ensuring the protection of everybody from coronavirus,” the JTF commander said.
On Tuesday, Metro Manila mayors have recommended a shift to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) from the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ). Ella Dionisio/DMS
Eleazar said the HPG will be in charge of the mobile checkpoints in coordination with the local police.
Mobile checkpoints aims to complement with the QCPs which are expected to let go of the vehicles to prevent monstrous traffic jams.
“We cannot check all the vehicles because it will defeat the purpose of partially re-opening the economy. The solution here is to have mobile checkpoints,” he said.
The QCPs and the mobile checkpoints will be complemented with the frequent beat patrol in various communities, especially in urban areas, not only as part of the anti-crime measures but also for the implementation of curfew.
“The strict implementation of curfew is not only for the protection of our workers who go out for a nightshift or who go home during nighttime, it is also necessary to ensure that those who have no business going out should stay at home and make the most of the time bonding with their families instead of risking themselves to be infected by the coronavirus,” said Eleazar.
Strict implementation of the community quarantine rules which include curfew has been found to be effective in preventing more infection and deaths as revealed by the study of experts from the University of the Philippines.
“We appeal to the public to get used to these checkpoints and curfew as part of the new normal. This is not about restraining their rights, this is all about ensuring the protection of everybody from coronavirus,” the JTF commander said.
On Tuesday, Metro Manila mayors have recommended a shift to General Community Quarantine (GCQ) from the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ). Ella Dionisio/DMS
