PHILIPPINE National Police chief General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar appealed to the public to fully cooperate with the government and strictly observe health protocols amid the threat of the COVID-19 Delta variant.

“Lahat tayo ay naging saksi sa mga naganap sa India at hindi natin gugustuhin na mangyari ang pananalasa ng COVID-19 sa ating bansa, lalo pa’t may mga kumpirmadong kaso at may mga namatay na nga sa ating bansa dahil sa Delta variant,” he said.

“Subalit nananatiling nasa kamay ng bawat Pilipino ang kaligtasan ng ating bansa, ang kailangan lamang ay manatiling sumunod sa mga alituntuning ipinapatupad ng ating pamahalaan para sa proteksyon ng bawat isa,” the PNP chief added.

The COVID-19 Delta variant, first detected in India, is more transmissible.

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, a patient sick with the Delta variant can infect as much as eight other people in one sitting.

Because of this, Presidential spokesman Secretary Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte could impose stricter lockdowns if needed.

Gen. Eleazar assured the PNP’s readiness to enforce any new government directive should President Duterte decide to implement stricter quarantine measures.

“Sa panig ng inyong PNP, patuloy ang aming mga preparasyon para sa mga worse-case scenario kaya kami ay nanawagan ng kooperasyon at pagtutulungan ng bawat Pilipino upang tayo ay magtagumpay na kontrolin at talunin ang COVID-19, regardless kung anong variant ito,” he said.

“I have tasked all police offices and units to coordinate closely with their respective LGUs so that they may come up with stringent measures to curb the spread of the variant,” Gen. Eleazar said.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon