PNP: Motorists on NLEX reduced by 50,000 amid ECQ

The number of motorists traversing the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) decreased by 50,000 during the Holy Week period amid the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in NCR Plus, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday.
 
"In fact, sa NLEX about 70,000 na mga motorista kasama na ang mga pampasaherong sasakyan, bumaba ito ng 20,000 na nagpapakita sa paggalang ng ating mga kababayan sa ECQ at sa Semana Santa," PNP spokesman Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana told Super Radyo dzBB, adding that traffic was the issue  during the first three days of ECQ. 

(In fact, on NLEX, from 70,000 motorists including public utility vehicles, the number was reduced to 20,000 which showed that the public is compliant with ECQ and the observance of the Holy Week.)

Asked if police personnel will be added to man checkpoints after the ECQ was extended, Usana said they will ask the public to follow COVID-19 protocols and go out for essential purposes.

"We can only hope na yung mamamayan will just simply comply with minimum health and safety protocols. Kung sakali 'di kayo pinalabas last year huwag na kayo lumabas," Usana said.

(We can only hope that citizens will just comply with minimum health and safety protocols. If you were not allowed to go out last year [during ECQ], don't go outside [now].)

ECQ, the strictest form of community quarantine, imposed over the NCR Plus bubble was extended for another week after the country recorded more than 10,000 virus infections last week. 

More than 1,000 checkpoints were set up and more than 9,000 police personnel were deployed since the ECQ began last week. —KG, GMA News