The decision of Metro Manila mayors to impose a two-week uniform curfew hours is expected to compel quarantine violators to behave, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said.
The curfew is from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Describing it as “a necessary measure’’, DILG Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya cited the urgency of employing the unified curfew hours to address the surging coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) cases in the area.
The Metro Manila Council (MMC), composed of the local chief executives of all the LGUs in Metro Manila, adopted Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Resolution No. 21-03 S. 2021 implementing common curfew hours for the whole NCR on March 15-March 31, 2021.
Malaya noted that the Department of Health (DOH) and other health professionals support the urgent need to regulate the movement of people within and around Metro Manila because of the spike in cases in the past days.
The DILG has strongly batted for the adoption of the uniform curfew hours as people live and work in different LGUs and for the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) to easily implement the same curfew hours across Metro Manila.
"With the imposition of the common curfew hours plus the other policies currently being implemented in Metro LGUs such as localized or granular lockdowns and the crackdown of violators of minimum public health standards, we hope to see a decline of coronavirus cases in the following weeks; therefore we urge the public to cooperate," Malaya said.
DILG officer-in-charge (OIC) Bernardo Florece had also ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to enforce its crackdown on “quarantine violators, impose a curfew and intensify the implementation of minimum public health standards in all barangays.’’ Aside from setting common curfew hours, the MMDA resolution likewise imposes granular lockdown, strict implementation of health protocols and standards and intensified testing, contact tracing and isolation.
As a general rule, Malaya explained that workers returning to or going to work are exempted from the unified curfew if they present their company identification cards (IDs) or other proof that they are going to work or returning home from work to police or barangay authorities or checkpoints.
He added that operators, and/or employees of medical/health care/emergency service, public utility vehicles, food delivery, convenience stores, restaurants, business process outsourcing, wholesale markets and delivery, and other similar or related essential personnel and services are also exempted.
Malaya said that LGUs will determine who are exempted from the uniform curfew in Metro Manila, especially the sanctions to be imposed on violators.
He cited Mandaluyong City, which has been implementing the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew hours since June 2020 with the exemption of individuals delivering basic necessities like food and medicine; workers assigned on night shifts and peace and order personnel both in the City and barangay level.
Likewise, Quezon City has committed to impose more stringent curfew hours “with exemptions for individuals who are still out for purposes of work, or on the way home from work; those dealing with emergencies; or for purposes of air/sea travel as shown by pre-booked tickets..
Also, on a case to case basis in Quezon City, barangays may request the city government for authority to impose longer curfew hours.