The Philippine National Police (PNP) has established around 200 checkpoints in Metro Manila and neighboring regions to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“Based on the report we got from our police command center, here in National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) we have established 47 checkpoints,” PNP acting spokesperson Major General Benigno Durana Jr. said in a radio interview on Sunday.

Including chokepoints, the NCRPO has established a total of 65 checkpoints and chokepoints.

“Other regions also implemented checkpoints like in Police Regional Office 3 (Central Luzon), 4A (Calabarzon), PRO 4B (Mimaropa) and PRO 5 (Bicol Region). In total, we have around 200 checkpoints and these are being manned by our police,” Durana said.

Durana said the PNP hopes to cover all boundaries as the day progresses in order to have an effective community quarantine.

President Rodrigo Duterte last Thursday imposed a community quarantine in the entire National Capital Region to counter the spread of COVID-19 inside and outside Metro Manila.

Durana said personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) were also designated at the checkpoints while the PNP-Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup) was tasked to lead the border control in the airports.

On the issue of thermal scanners that are not working, the police official said they will remind unit commanders that they should provide their personnel with the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) so that they can implement the community quarantine properly.

“Based also on our meeting with Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF)- Technical Working Group (TWG), the Department of Health will provide our policemen manning checkpoints enough PPEs,” Durana said.

“As the day progresses we are hoping to complete it, the face masks and thermal scanners. We are calling on our unit commanders that they should take extra effort to secure the necessary equipment not only from the PNP but also they have to coordinate with DOH and local government units,” he added.

Last Friday, the PNP declared a full alert status after the COVID-19 alert has been raised to code red sub-level 2.

NCRPO, PRO 3, 4A, 4B and 5 have been in full alert status while the other police regional offices can decide on the alert status in their respective areas. Ella Dionisio/DMS