PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Officer-in-Charge, Lieutenant General Vicente D. Danao Jr. yesterday said all 17 police regional offices are under instruction to continue strictly enforcing minimum public health safety protocols in their areas as part of their efforts to prevent another virus surge in the country.

The top cop said police are particularly going after individuals who are violating government protocols on physical distancing and the mandatory wearing of face masks in public places to prevent another COVID-19 outbreak.

Last week, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed the local transmission in the country of BA.2.12.1, a more contagious but less deadly version of Omicron, a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

However, the DOH also refuted reports that COVID-19 patients in Batangas were carrying the highly-contagious Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1.

“We would like to announce that there is no truth to the reports that say that there are recorded cases of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.21.1 in Batangas,” the DOH Region 4-A office bared last week.

There remains no case of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.21.1 in the province and the entire Calabarzon region, it added.

In Metro Manila, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director, Major Gen. Felipe R. Natividad said he has ordered all five NCRPO districts to continue fully enforcing government health protocols to fight the virus.

The official issued the order after Dr. Rontgene Solante, head of the Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Unit of the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, said a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases is expected this month due to the exposure of thousands of people in different rallies as well as the national and local elections last May 9.

Solante, also a member of the government’s vaccine expert panel, lamented that despite the recorded dominant Omicron variant in the Philippines, BA.2. , and constant reminders from the government, most Filipinos who went out on election day to vote failed to comply with the minimum health protocols.

In view of the medical expert’s warning, Maj. Gen. Natividad reminded the public anew to strictly observe minimum public health protocols specifically the wearing of face masks, observance of physical distancing and if possible, avoiding crowded places.

He also further directed the five NCRPO districts to strictly enforce the health protocols alongside with their intensified campaign against criminality, drugs and terrorism.

“Weeks prior to the election, several gatherings were already conducted. COVID-19 is still here and we do not know what would happen in the coming days. Therefore, we must observe and protect ourselves. Hindi tayo dapat magpakampante. Panatilihin natin ang pag-iingat nasaan man tayo upang ligtas tayo sa pag uwi sa ating mga pamilya,” said the Metro Manila police director.

Maj. Gen. Natividad described the national and local elections in Metro Manila last May 9 as generally peaceful with the NCRPO recording no untoward incident on that day despite the influx of people in hundreds of polling precincts in the metropolis.

The DILG has also directed all local government units to fully partner with the PNP in strictly enforcing minimum public health safety protocols in their jurisdiction. This is being done thru increased police and LGU personnel deployment specifically those from the barangays.

Officials said that wearing of face masks and physical distancing need to be strictly imposed by all LGUs which should have ordinances which will impose fines on the violators.

As instructed by the DILG, LGUs should have already enacted local ordinances providing sanctions to those who violate the minimum health standards set by the national government thru the Interagency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).

The DILG leadership maintained that if the ordinance passed by LGUs has no penal clause, they should be amended to provide them more teeth in implementing the law.

DILG spokesperson and Undersecretary Jonathan E. Malaya has already stressed the important role of the Barangay Disiplina brigades to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Let us politely call out each other if we observe simple breaches of health protocols. Huwag nating iasa lahat sa gobyerno at kapulisan. Bantayan natin ang isa’t isa para ang lahat ay sumusunod, sa health guidelines ng IATF,” he said.

Usec. Malaya said a small breach in protocols could lead to higher transmission of the

virus more cases and possibly deaths. “Sayang ang mahigit isang taon nating pagsasakripisyo kung magrerelax tayo ngayon. Lahat tayo ay dapat maging bida sa pagiging disiplinado at hindi maging pasaway,” he said

Citing the acronym of the BIDA ang May Disiplina Program, Malaya reminded the public to observe the following health protocols whenever they need to go out of their homes or travel to their favorite destinations:

“B-awal ang walang face mask; I-sanitize ang mga kamay; D-umistansya ng isang metro; A-lamin ang totoong impormasyon.”