Soldiers, cops strictly man checkpoints as Metro Manila community quarantine starts
Army soldiers and police officers began conducting strict measures early Sunday at checkpoints at the borders of Metro Manila during the first day of the implementation of the community quarantine in the National Capital Region.
The community quarantine in NCR, which began on Sunday at 12:01 a.m., is part of the government's measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 after the Code Red Sub-Level 2 alert was raised on Thursday.
With the quarantine in place, travel to and from Metro Manila would be restricted until midnight April 14, 2020.
Cars, jeepneys, trucks, and buses were all stopped at checkpoints on Sunday and passengers had to have their body temperatures checked.
Passengers also had to show their IDs to prove they have valid reasons to enter Metro Manila.
WATCH: Kahit pasahero ng taxi hinihingan na rin ng I.D. ng mga pulis upang matiyak na residente sila ng Cainta. | via @luisitosantos03 https://t.co/VSzhDB5hKx
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
Even members of media covering the checkpoints had to be checked too.
WATCH: Kahit media personnel na nagcocover ng community quarantine sa Cainta kinukuhanan din ng temperatura. | via @luisitosantos03 https://t.co/bgZYhsm8J5
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
At the boundary of Pasig City in Metro Manila and Cainta, Rizal on Ortigas Avenue Extension, police approached vehicles with thermal scanners in hand.
PNP checkpoint sa Ortigas Avenue Extension boundary ng Pasig at Cainta, Rizal. @gmanews @dzbb pic.twitter.com/MFXqh1IKvR
— James Agustin (@_jamesJA) March 14, 2020
WATCH: Kahit mga pasahero ng jeep na papasok ng Cainta, tinututukan ng thermal scanner. | via @luisitosantos03 https://t.co/3XGlis8r3d
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
On J.P. Rizal Street at the boundary of San Mateo, Rizal and Marikina City in Metro Manila, police officers were seen checking on motorcycle riders.
TINGNAN: Police checkpoint, ipinatutupad na sa J.P. Rizal St. sa boundary ng Marikina at San Mateo, Rizal bilang bahagi ng community quarrantine sa Metro Manila. | via @luisitosantos03 https://t.co/4PORjCzAJ6
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
Those without face masks and riding motorcycles were reminded to put them on.
WATCH: Rider na walang suot na face mask, pinagsabihan ng pulis na nasa checkpoint sa boundary ng Cainta at Marikina City. | via @luisitosantos03 https://t.co/JO7xg0s7kb
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
Despite the checkpoint, no part of J.P. Rizal Street was closed to traffic.
PANOORIN: Walang isinarang kalsada sa J.P. Rizal Street boundary ng Marikina City at San Mateo, Rizal sa unang araw ng implementasyon ng community quarantine sa Metro Manila. | via @luisitosantos03 https://t.co/ktv8axf9Ws
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
Police talked to drivers and passengers of jeepneys at the boundary of Marikina City and San Mateo, Rizal reminding them to observe social distancing to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
PANOORIN: Driver at mga pasahero ng jeep, pinaalalahanan ng mga pulis tungkol sa "social distancing" para makaiwas sa COVID-19 sa boundary ng Marikina at San Mateo, Rizal. | via @luisitosantos03 https://t.co/lRbC1bMDW2
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
The same scenario occurred on Payatas Road at the border of Quezon City and Rizal; at the boundary of Muntinlupa City and San Pedro, Laguna; at the boundary of Valenzuela City and Meycauayan, Bulacan; Zapote Viaduct in Las Piñas City at the boundary with Cavite; Marcos Highway at the boundary of Cainta, Rizal and Marikina City, among others.
PANOORIN: Police visibility sa bahagi ng Payatas Road, sa Quezon City. | via @Rodveg72 pic.twitter.com/idsJE5OC3B
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
PANOORIN: Mga pulis, nagsimula nang mag-inspeksiyon at mag-check ng temperatura ng mga motorista at pasahero sa boundary ng Muntinlupa City at San Pedro, Laguna. | via @jhomer_apresto pic.twitter.com/kYGEBGk5Y5
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
MORE: Sitwasyon sa boundary ng Valenzuela City at Meycauayan, Bulacan. | via @Rodveg72 pic.twitter.com/bvA7PsKv3S
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
MORE: Temperatura ng mga pasahero at motorista, chini-check ng mga nagbabantay na pulis sa bahagi ng Zapote Viaduct, sa Las Piñas City. | via @olanbola pic.twitter.com/cXBZqWG6KG
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
PANOORIN: Checkpoint sa Marcos Highway, boundary ng Cainta at Marikina City. | via @luisitosantos03 https://t.co/uSbCtvTNUP
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
Traffic slowed down in some checkpoint areas.
WATCH: Nagdudulot na ng mabigat na daloy ng trapiko ang checkpoint ng pinagsanib na puwersa ng AFP at PNP sa Mindanao Ave., Q.C. Lahat ng mga sakay ng mga sasakyan mapa-northbound at southbound ay sumasalang sa body temperature check. | via @allangatus pic.twitter.com/GnjSxZ21LO
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
WATCH: Matinding trapik nararanasan sa Ortigas avenue extension papasok ng Cainta dahil sa quarantine checkpoint. | via @luisitosantos03 https://t.co/0Hs4WmgIY0
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
TINGNAN: Mas mahigpit na checkpoint ipinatutupad sa mga motoristang pumapasok ng Felix Avenue na boundary ng Pasig City at Cainta, Rizal. | via @luisitosantos03 https://t.co/fE5Gbwe71U
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
Meanwhile, those exiting Metro Manila were also subjected to the same protocols.
WATCH: Kahit mga pasahero ng jeep na papasok ng Cainta, tinututukan ng thermal scanner. | via @luisitosantos03 https://t.co/3XGlis8r3d
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
TINGNAN: Checkpoint sa Marcos Highway papasok sa Cainta, Rizal. Ang mga health worker, naipapatupad ang social distancing habang kinukuha ang temperature ng mga pumapasok sa Cainta. | via @_jamesJA https://t.co/iuboVoNKQe
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
WATCH: Mahigpit na segurirad papasok sa Cainta, Rizal, ipinatutupad ng PNP. | via @MMakalalad pic.twitter.com/yqJEepy8mp
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) March 14, 2020
On Saturday, Malacañang released the guidelines on how government agencies would implement the stringent social distancing measures and community quarantine in Metro Manila.
Workers would be allowed in and out of Metro Manila as long as they could show their company ID or any proof of employment.
Essential work-related meetings and religious activities could continue so long as strict social distancing was practiced.
The movement of goods to and from Metro Manila would not be affected by the quarantine. —KG, GMA News