NCR LGUs to discuss measures to prevent another 'Poblacion Girl' incident

Local government units in Metro Manila will discuss what further measures could be imposed to prevent the breach of quarantine protocols in hotels, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos said on Wednesday.

Abalos expressed concern over the recent incident wherein Gwyneth Chua, a returning overseas Filipino from the United States, skipped hotel quarantine to attend a party and visit restaurants in Poblacion, Makati City last December.

He said this kind of incident must be addressed not only by the Department of Tourism but by other offices as well.

"Hindi lang siguro tungkol diyan sa on the level nila Sec. Berna pero pag-uusapan natin dito anong imposition ang puwedeng magawa ng mga local government units dito sa mga hotel na ganito. Pag-uusapan 'yan," Abalos said at a Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

(It's not only on the level of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. We will discuss what measures could be imposed by the LGUs regarding these hotels.)

Abalos also believed that police intervention is needed so that the incident involving Chua will not happen again. He said there was certainly a security lapse that happened on the matter.

"If the hotels themselves, they cannot do that, probably puwede tayong patulong sa pulis... Iilan lang naman 'yan eh, 'di ba?" Abalos said.

(If the hotels themselves, they cannot do that, probably we can ask for help from the police. There are just a few of them [hotels], right?)

The Department of Tourism has suspended the accreditation of Berjaya Makati Hotel following Chua's skipping of her hotel quarantine. The latter later tested positive for COVID-19.

The DOT also revoked Berjaya’s permit as a multiple-use hotel for its failure to stop a guest from breaking quarantine rules.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group already lodged a complaint before the Makati Prosecutor's Office against Chua, her parents, five hotel personnel, and her boyfriend.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday ordered law enforcers to guard hotels serving as quarantines for returning Filipinos following the Makati incident involving Chua. —KG, GMA News