Parents who let their young children out of their houses unsupervised in areas under stricter quarantine could be sanctioned under the latest government policy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said Sunday.
He also advised parents to remain extra cautious in going outside with their children, reminding them that kids 5 and older are still prohibited from entering malls and similar establishments.
“Let me remind our parents that not all places are accessible to children,” he said.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) earlier allowed children to go to open spaces in areas under a general community quarantine (GCQ) and a modified GCQ. GCQ areas "with heightened restrictions," such as Laguna and Cavite, are excluded.
An IATF spokesman said children 5 and above can go to beaches, parks, playgrounds, outdoor tourism areas and biking and hiking trails if they are accompanied by adults.
Eleazar also urged police to be “careful in word and deed” in dealing with parents whose children violate health safety protocols.
“I urge our police not only to set an example in following the rules against COVID-19 but also to be careful in word and deed to parents and other persons with children who violate the health safety protocols,” said Eleazar in a statement on Saturday.
The police chief said those who violate his instructions will be held accountable to him.
“In the young minds of children, let us show what the true meaning of police is–honest, polite, and with integrity,” he said.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila mayors will draft guidelines for allowing children 5 years and above to go to open areas, the chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Sunday.
In an interview with GMA News Online, MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos Jr. said the mayors of the 16 cities and one municipality that make up Metro Manila agreed to draft a resolution listing open spaces where children will be allowed to go, even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
He added that there would be limits to the number of people allowed in any given open area to avoid overcrowding.
Areas still under GCQ “with heightened restrictions” are Laguna and Cavite, while Metro Manila, Rizal, and Bulacan are under GCQ “with some restrictions” until July 15.
Other areas under regular GCQ status until July 31 include Baguio City, City of Santiago, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Batangas, Quezon, Guimaras, Aklan, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Antique, Capiz, Zamboanga Sibugay, City of Zamboanga, Iligan City, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Cotabato City.
Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, meanwhile, asked Eleazar to suspend PNP training in his city after another batch of trainees tested positive for COVID-19.
The police training center and the National Police Commission head offices are located in Baguio City.
Eleazar immediately approved the mayor's request.
"It appears that our trainees are not compliant with the minimum public health standards," the mayor said.
Last month,105 cases were detected at the Cordillera Administrative Region Training Center (CARTC), he said. The patients were among the 197 regular officers from various regions participating in leadership training.
The outbreak was immediately controlled with the imposition of testing, contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine measures.
The Philippines logged 5,916 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of infections to 1,473,025.
The Department of Health reported 105 new deaths, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 25,921.
The DOH also reported 6,127 persons who recently recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 1,397,403.
There were 49,701 active cases, of which 89.3 percent were mild, 5 percent were asymptomatic, 1.5 percent were critical, 2.4 percent were severe, and 1.7 percent were moderate.
Nationwide, 56 percent of the ICU beds, 45 percent of the isolation beds, 43 percent of the ward beds, and 37 percent of the ventilators, were in use.
In Metro Manila, 40 percent of the ICU beds, 37 percent of the isolation beds, 33 percent of the ward beds, and 32 percent of the ventilators, were in use.