The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday assured the public they will straighten out and finetune all measures as they finalize implementing guidelines on the enhanced community quarantine.

“I extend the commendation of the national leadership and the gratitude of the nation to all those who heeded earlier calls to stay indoors and limit non-essential movement and travel,” Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa said in a statement.

“We beg your kind indulgence that we are doing all these measures in haste because we really need to act fast. But be assured that we will straighten out and fine tune all details as we finalize the implementing guidelines,” he added.

According to Gamboa, all six Luzon-based Police Regional Offices outside Metro Manila, are on full alert condition since last Friday, initially to provide possible augmentation to NCRPO in enforcing a metro-wide community quarantine.

“In fact, the Luzon-wide community quarantine strategy to contain the spread of Covid-19 has been operationalized better under these conditions of operational readiness of PNP units, personnel and resources when these Regional Offices enforced the enhanced community quarantine in their respective regional jurisdictions effective past midnight last night, March 17, 2020 until April 13, 2020,” he said.

The PNP chief said even before the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine is fully enforced, the PNP has put up 773 community quarantine stations in Northern Luzon, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley Region, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, and Bicol Region manned by 4,374 PNP personnel supported by AFP and Philippine Coast Guard forces.

“Major adjustments will be made by the concerned Police Regional Offices to cope with the contingency and accomplish the objective to limit movement of people and human traffic to win over this pandemic,” Gamboa said.

“We reiterate our call to our countrymen in provinces and cities in Luzon to please cooperate with authorities in managing this national emergency. As WHO ( World Health Organization) and DOH (Department of Health) experts have concluded based on the experience of other countries that have successfully contained COVID-19, there is no other way but for everyone to stay home. This is one big sacrifice we must do as a nation to survive this crisis,” he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS