The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has instructed all local government units (LGUs) and even the Philippine National Police (PNP), to crack down on all quarantine violators and further intensify the implementation of minimum health standards in all barangays.
This is amid the continuous increase in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recorded in the country in recent days.
According to DILG Officer-in-Charge and Undersecretary Bernardo C. Florece, Jr., he has already issued a directive to Joint Task Force Shield Commander PLtGen. Cesar Hawthorne Binag to increase police deployment and strictly enforce minimum public health standards in Pasay, Malabon, Navotas, Cebu City, and Cebu Province, all of which have recorded an increase in cases of the disease.
“Naging kampante ang ating mga LGUs maging ang PNP sa enforcement ng ating mga minimum health standards kaya’t inaatasan ko ang ating mga local officials kasama ang mga barangay at kapulisan na puspusang ipatupad ang basic health protocols sa lahat ng barangay sa ating bansa,” said Florece.
The DILG official stressed that wearing face masks and face shields and physical distancing should be strictly enforced in all LGUs and those who violate it should be fined based on existing ordinances.
He said the conduct of temperature checks and signing of contact tracing forms, whether manually or through the Stay Safe app, should also be continued and restricted in all establishments and workplaces.
DILG orders crackdown against quarantine violators
He also ordered the deployment of additional contact tracers in areas with an increase in COVID-19 cases, to assist local contact tracing teams in identifying patients’ close contacts and diagnosing them.
Florece also strongly instructed the PNP to strictly enforce the curfews imposed by LGUs in some areas, which some have already adjusted from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am.
Four regions in the country have recorded a steady increase in COVID-19 cases in recent days, according to Health Sec. Francisco Duque on Monday.
In Metro Manila, Pasay City and Malabon City can be considered in the “critical risk” classification, while the cities of Navotas, Makati, and San Juan are “high risk level,” Duque said.
When it comes to health care utilization rates of hospitals, Region 7 and Cordillera Administrative Region are the highest with 48 and 47 percent utilization.