The Philippine National Police (PNP) has strengthened the support system for its personnel who were tasked to take care of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) patients in police-supervised mega –swabbing and mega-quarantine facilities in Metro Manila.
Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, PNP deputy chief for Administration, said the the Joint Task Force COVID Shield which he commands has joined forces with the PNP’s Administrative Support for COVID-19 Task Force (ACOTF) to synchronize and maximize the implementation of the government’s action plans not only to prevent the spread of the coronavirus but also to take care of those who take care of the infected Filipinos.
The PNP’s ASCOTF is led byLt. Gen. Cesar Hawthorne Binag who is also the deputy chief for Operations.
On Thursday, both Eleazar and Binag inspected all the quarantine and swabbing facilities being managed and supervised by the PNP—the Philsports Arena in Pasig City, the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) and the Mall of Asia Mega Quarantine Facility which are both located in Pasay City.
“The guideline given by the Chief PNP General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan is for the two task forces, the JTF COVID Shield and the ASCOTF, to coordinate so that we can ensure that the mandate will be pursued and followed,” said Eleazar.
Eleazar said the purpose of the Thursday inspection is to meet with the PNP personnel manning the quarantine facilities in order to identify their concerns and other needs.
For his part, Binag stressed the need to directly get the concerns of the PNP personnel since they are the ones who are on the frontlines and are on the daily interaction with COVID-19 patients and those being tested.
“They are in the better position to tell us at the National Headquarters what resources are still needed in these facilities and what needs to be done in order to improve our services,” said Binag.