POLICE are100 percent ready to assist local government units in implementing the pilot-testing of the granular lockdown in Metro Manila beginning Wednesday, Philippine National Police chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar said.

According to the top cop, he has instructed Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander and PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, Lieutenant Gen. Israel Ephraim T. Dickson and National Capital Region Police Office director, Major Gen. Vicente D. Danao Jr. to coordinate their security preparations for the granular lockdown with local government units in the metropolis.

Members of the NCRPO’s five districts will be in-charge of implementing the lockdown.

“Batay na rin sa kautusan ng ating SILG Eduardo Año, inatasan ko na ang ating mga police commanders sa Metro Manila na makipag-ugnayan sa kani-kanilang local government units sa pagpapatupad ng granular lockdown upang matiyak ang maayos na pagpapatupad at maiwasan ang kalituhan sa pagpapatupad nito,” said Gen. Eleazar.

According to the PNP chief, even before the announcement of the granular lockdown, he had already directed Metro Manila police commanders to prepare for its possible implementation.

With Sec. Año’s pronouncements, he said that coordination must already start in order to ensure smooth flow of its implementation.

Some LGUs in the National Capital Region, however, have already implemented granular lockdowns in their respective areas.

Based on the PNP data, there are 51 barangays in Metro Manila which are currently under granular lockdown or the so-called Special Concern Area Lockdown or SCAL wherein local policemen guarding the SCAL areas are fully implementing the rules on the wearing of face masks and face shields and mandatory physical distancing, the unified 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew and prohibiting affected residents from crossing the designated barriers/roadblocks.

“Ang pagpapatupad ng granular lockdown ay solusyon na nakikita ng ating pamahalaan na balansehin ang pagbubukas ng ekonomiya at ang kontrolin ang pagkalat ng COVID-19. Sinusuportahan ito ng inyong PNP,” Gen. Eleazar said.

“I urge the public to cooperate with measures and regulations that the government is imposing to stop the surge in COVID-19 cases. Kung hindi man para sa ating sarili ay sumunod tayo sa mga public health safety at quarantine protocols para sa kaligtasan at kalusugan ng ating mga mahal sa buhay,” he added.

The National Capital Region is under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until September 7. The DILG chief said the pilot testing for the granular lockdown in Metro Manila would begin on September 8.

After that, it will be assessed, and a recommendation will then be delivered to President Duterte, the DILG secretary said.

Trade and Industry Sec. Ramon Lopez has said that the granular lockdown will be better for the economy as it will allow more establishments and businesses to operate amid the threat of COVID-19 pandemic.

The national government ensured that it would support LGUs in giving food assistance to residents that will be affected by the granular lockdown.