PNP doubling police visibility for Christmas season —COVID Shield

The Philippine National Police will deploy more police in areas of convergence during the Christmas season under the shadow of continuing threat of COVID-19 transmission.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday, Joint Task Force COVID-19 Shield commander Police Lieutenant General Cesar Hawthorne Binag said he ordered a doubled police visibility in these areas.

“Specifically dito sa Kapaskuhan, doon sa mga area of convergence, ipinag-utos natin na doblehin doon ‘yung visibility,” said Binag, who is also the PNP Deputy Chief for Operations.

Areas of convergence include markets, churches, malls, ports, terminals, and other places where many people are expected to gather.

Binag reminded the public to observe minimum health standards to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 this during the holidays.

In anticipation of festivities during the Christmas season, National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. instructed authorities to conduct stricter enforcement of minimum health standards.

Galvez said on Thursday that the government is expecting a "very imminent" increase in the number of COVID cases during the period.

“Nag-text na po ako sa ating chief PNP and also with our Armed Forces of the Philippines na magkaroon po talaga ng stricter enforcement ng minimum health standards,” he said.

Likewise, Galvez said that has he directed local government units and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to do the same.

He advised the Department of Trade and Industry to conduct regular inspections of malls, especially in dining services such as restaurants.

Also, he encouraged mall owners to deploy marshals inside their establishments to ensure shoppers are observing the minimum health standards to prevent the spread of the virus. —LBG, GMA News