By Argyll Cyrus Geducos
The national government thanked barangays and other uniformed personnel for their role in the country's fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles
(PCOO / MANILA BULLETIN)
In his Monday virtual press briefing, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said barangay officials, and the almost 60,000 uniformed personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) were the other frontliners who have stepped up to serve the people.
"Kasama po dito ang ating (This includes our) peacekeepers––those responsible for keeping our communities safe and secure and those tasked to ensure that over 50 million people in Luzon abide by the stringent social distancing measures being implemented under the ECQ (enhanced community quarantine)," he said.
Nograles likewise hailed the 59,454 personnel from the AFP, PNP, BFP, and PCG who are manning the 4,389 quarantine control points in Luzon.
He also commended the barangay officials, barangay health workers, and other volunteers who implement the ECQ and distribute assistance to the millions of families who live in these communities.
"Sa lahat ng naglilingkod ng walang pag-iimbot para sa ating kaligtasan, dalangin namin na ingatan nawa kayo ng Maykapal sa lahat ng pagkakataon (To those who are working for our safety, we pray that God protects you at all times)," Nograles said.
Last month, President Duterte warned barangay officials that they will be jailed if they will not enforce the measures adopted by the government to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
The President likewise reminded barangay officials that they should do their job because they wanted to be elected and serve in the first place.
"It falls upon your shoulders to exactly do the regulations the government wants to enforce,” he added.