SAYING the danger of COVID-19 remains very strong, the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership yesterday appealed anew to labor groups to refrain from holding Labor Day protest actions today specifically in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus bubble which remains under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

PNP chief, General Debold M. Sinas said he has directed all concerned unit commanders and chiefs of police to ensure the full implementation of guidelines released by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) during the MECQ period with the protection of the general public their main concern.

Although police are under instructions to fully observe maximum tolerance in dealing with street demonstrations, they have been ordered to ensure that the minimum public health standards shall be complied with at all times for the duration of the community quarantine prevailing in a particular locality.

Thus, the movement of all persons shall be limited to accessing goods and services from permitted establishments, for work in such establishments, or for such other activities allowed under the prevailing quarantine status.

“Gatherings outside of residences or gatherings at residences with any person outside of one’s immediate household shall likewise be prohibited for localities under the MECQ and GCQ. Gatherings shall be allowed up to 50 percent of the seating or venue capacity on localities under MGCQ but subject to the minimum public health standards and in compliance with the ventilation standards as provided for under relevant DOLE issuances,” the PNP said.

However, gatherings that are essential for the provision of health services, government services or humanitarian activities authorized by the appropriate government agency or instrumentality shall be allowed.

The PNP also declared that “the movement of cargo/delivery vehicles as well as vehicles used by public utility companies shall remain unhampered. However, appropriate measures shall be undertaken by personnel manning Quarantine Control Points and other law enforcement checkpoints to prevent such vehicles from being used by mass demonstrators or persons fleeing MECQ areas.”

WHY NOT ONLINE DEMONSTRATIONS?

Just like last year, the PNP leadership is asking anew leaders of militant cause-oriented groups to turn to ‘online demonstrations’ amid the MECQ in the NCR Plus bubble due to the threats posed by the killer virus.

According to PNP spokesman, Brigadier Gen. Ronaldo E. Olay, the PNP leadership is fully aware of plans by labor groups to hold public assembly and protest actions today. However, he said that although they fully respect the right to peaceably assemble, they are discouraging them from pursuing their planned actions this time for their own safety and in the best interest of public health.

Olay said that out of the exigency of the present health crisis brought about by COVID-19, the PNP leadership has decided to fully enforce all IATF guidelines in order to protect the life of Filipinos amid the pandemic.

Mass gatherings are prohibited under the IATF guidelines on ECQ, MECQ and GCQ since last year. Arrests, detention, fines and other penalties may be imposed on all violators of the guidelines.

PNP Deputy Chief for Administration and concurrent commander of the Administrative Support for Joint COVID-19 Task Force, Lieutenant Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar also renewed his call for labor groups to instead focus their efforts on coming up with health-protection-related strategic plans to help workers under the new normal.

NCRPO READY FOR TODAY’S EVENT

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director, Major Gen. Vicente D. Danao Jr. said they will be conducting a series of activities to help the ‘poorest of the poor’ in today’s event while seeing to it that the rule of the law will prevail.

Danao, joined by Joint Task Force-NCR commander, Brig. Gen. Marceliano V. Teofilo yesterday spearheaded a Career Counseling and Coaching Seminar via zoom. The activity aimed to help Metro Manila residents who were greatly affected by the pandemic.

Today, the NCRPO will also lead an Online Job Fair to help those affected by the pandemic to find new jobs under their Poverty Reduction Livelihood and Employment Cluster Initiative.

Danao said they will also be having a Metro Manila-wide Serbisyong TAMA Caravan wherein they will distribute food packs to selected residents of the metropolis. The official said that police will go ‘house-to-house’ to distribute the food packs as part of the standard health protocol imposed by the IATF and the Department of Health.