Tuguegarao City, Cagayan – Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Wednesday that the number of violations of COVID-19 protocols, including mass gathering offenses have soared to 5,469% nationwide.
With the staggering figures of offenses, Año has called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) and all Local Government Units (LGU’s) to strictly implement the prescribed protocols by the Inter-Agency Task Force to avoid surges all over the country.
The Interior secretary said in a statement, “So muli po tayong mag-iistrikto, ang ating kapulisan sa pagpapatupad ng minimum public health standards. At tinatawagan din natin ang mga LGUs lalo na ang mga barangay officials at barangay tanod, ang mga management ng commercial establishments, ang mga community leaders, ang mga campaign organizers na tumulong mapatupad ang mga minimum public health standards.”
He added that he will not allow another set of surges in COVID-19 in the country amid the projections of different health experts and the Department of Health slated for mid of May 2022.
According to the DILG, from last week alone, no physical distancing violations have reached 9,057 or a 201 percent increase; mass gathering violations have increased to a staggering 724 or a 5,469% hike; while failure to wear face mask offenses have raked up 84,969 or a 196% climb from the previous week.
While there are no areas nationwide under stiffer lockdowns and most of the country’s areas are under Alert Level 1, the DILG has expressed its worry of another possible surge with the threat of Omicron subvariants in nearby countries and lack of discipline this summer and campaign season. TNF