Crossing borders still not allowed under GCQ except for work purposes — Eleazar
“Gusto po nating liwanagin na itong pagbaba ng antas ng ating community quarantine lalo na po dito sa Metro Manila eh hindi po ibig sabihin nito na authorized na tayong mamasyal, na dalawin yung ating mga kaibigan at kamag-anak,” said Eleazar in a Laging Handa virtual briefing. “Yung pong mga APOR na mga workers pa rin ang authorized na mag-cross ng mga borders dahil sila ay pupunta sa trabaho’t uuwi.”
[Translation: We just want to clarify that the lowering of our community quarantine status especially in Metro Manila doesn’t mean we are already authorized to stroll around and visit our friends and relatives. Only APOR (authorized persons outside residence) workers are authorized to cross borders because they are going to or coming from work.]Metro Manila has been placed under GCQ from June 1 to 15, along with Regions II, III, and IV-A, Pangasinan, Albay, and Davao City.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government said earlier that workers of establishments allowed to resume operations under GCQ need only to present company IDs or certifications of employment to the police when going to work.
The police will not allow to pass through checkpoints individuals intending to avail of essential goods or services outside their respective localities.
“Hindi pa rin kayo dapat magko-cross ng border like in Metro Manila taga-Caloocan ka, magsa-shopping ka sa Makati pa, hindi po ganon yun. Basically, dun pa rin kayo sa lugar niyo,” explained Eleazar.
[Translation: You still should not cross borders like (for example) in Metro Manila — you reside in Caloocan but you will go shopping in Makati. It shouldn’t be like that. Basically, you should still (shop) within your locality.]Eleazar said checking will still be done at random at checkpoints, adding that the police will arrest and file charges against quarantine violators.
“Dadagdagan din natin itong ating tinatawag na mobile checkpoint. Ito yung pinangungunahan ng Highway Patrol Group na kung saan eh sa Oplan Habol at Sita nila, pwede silang mag-check ng mga sasakyan. Depende sa discretion ng ating mga pulis, pwede magbawas tayo ng fixed checkpoint at mag-adjust tayo sa mga mobile checkpoint,” he explained.
[Translation: We will also add what we call mobile checkpoints. This is spearheaded by the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) wherein they can check vehicles under their Oplan Habol (and Oplan) Sita. Depending on the discretion of our policemen, we can reduce the number of fixed checkpoints and adjust our mobile checkpoints.]In a separate statement, Eleazar said the mobile checkpoints shall “complement” quarantine control points (QCPs) nationwide where vehicles are allowed to go after checking to avoid traffic jams.
The IATF has formally recommended that Metro Manila shift to GCQ from June 1 to 15, with high-risk barangays (villages) still subject to localized lockdowns. Residents of areas under general community quarantine won’t need to bring quarantine passes anymore when they head out of their homes, the Interior Department said Thursday.
To date, there are 4,398 QCPs across the country manned by the police and military, the statement read. There are also 115 dedicated control points (DCPs) handled by the HPG to ensure the unhampered movement of cargo vehicles carrying food items and basic necessities.
Eleazar also reminded the public to stay at home as much as possible even when the less stricter GCQ finally takes effect.