Social distancing patrollers deployed on public convergence will be equipped with yantok, a wooden stick, to ensure physical distancing will be observed, according to the Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander on Friday.

During the Laging Handa public briefing, Lt. General Cesar Hawthorne inag said they doubled the number of police officers in public markets, malls, churches, terminals and ports.

“Since Metro Manila is our center, we focus on the areas of convergence… we doubled the deployment of our personnel with the help of the military to assure visibility,” he said.

“We called it social distancing patrol and chief PNP (Philippine National Police) General (Debold) Sinas ordered that they should have a one-meter yantok to caution, measure (the distance) of the violators,” he added.

Binag said they also tasked chiefs of police to coordinate with the mall management so minimum health standard will be always implemented inside their establishments.

“The security guards, they add (more personnel) for post to post inspection to assure that (health) protocols given by the IATF are being followed,” he said.

For the coming Simbang Gabi, Binag said police commanders are also coordinating with the parish churches for scheduling so they can implement the 30 percent allowed seating capacity.

Binag appealed for the public’s cooperation in fighting the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Ella Dionisio/DMS