MANILA, Philippines — The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) would now be enforcing a one-meter distance rule when entertaining complaints and other reports in all its police stations and precincts as a preventive measure against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas said this Wednesday as he announced the Metro Manila police is now on heightened alert status for the purpose of maximizing its resources to help prevent the spread of the disease and to immediately respond to any related incident in the capital region.
“Further, the one-meter distance has already been applied in all Metro police stations and precincts in entertaining complaints, blotter or other reports. With the locked up cells, we also want to advise our public to limit possible visits to our detainees,” he said in a statement.
“Just the same, for their safety and the safety of their loved ones inside the cells, they must avoid too much or close contact and maintain one-meter distance from each other,” he also said.
Police front-liners, first respondents, and beat patrollers should also wear masks, gloves, and eyeglasses as protective gears, added the police official.
Also on Wednesday, NCRPO started disinfecting its facilities, starting from the headquarters at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City down to its stations and precincts.
Sinas said all five districts of NCRPO have also designated areas for quarantine.
“PNP personnel who wish to conduct self-quarantine or who wish to be checked and monitored properly are welcome there. The isolated area will be manned by trained NCRPO nurses and doctors,” he said.
Upon the directive of Philippine National Police chief Gen. Archie Gamboa, all NCRPO schoolings, training, and seminars that are scheduled to be opened have been canceled, according to Sinas.
All travels abroad of NCRPO personnel have likewise been temporarily suspended while the promotion of cops has also been put on hold.
“The NCRPO is ready for possible coordination of DOH [Department of Health] for contact tracing, we are certain about that,” he said. / KGA