When he was still the commander of the Joint Task Force COVID Shield, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar was flooded with reports from the field about motorists using the ‘hatid-sundo’ as frequent alibi to pass the strict border control in Metro Manila.
Those motorists are classified as Unauthorized Persons Outside Residence (UPORs) but were allowed to pass the border control points as they would claim that they would fetch their spouses, relatives or friends from work places to their homes, or vice versa.
The result was that the motorists would contribute to traffic jams in border control points—and eventually defeated the purpose of the restriction of the movement of those who are not authorized to go out.
“We were lenient during the past ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine) implementations and this (hatid-sundo) was abused before, and we believe that this will also be prone to abuse this time,” said Eleazar.
Metro Manila will be under ECQ from August 6 to 20 in a bid by the national government to contain the spread of the virulent Delta variant of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Under the strict quarantine rules, Eleazar said only Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs) will be allowed to cross borders.
He said APORs are classified into two: the Workforce APOR who are essential workers and workers of the business and industries allowed to operate under ECQ; and, the Consumer APORs, or those who are allowed to avail of the goods and services of the businesses that were allowed to operate.
But Eleazar said that while Consumer APORs are allowed to go out, they are not allowed to cross borders and are restricted to avail of the goods and services in their respective areas.
Only the Workforce APORs are allowed entry to Metro Manila and this is where the problem on “hatid-sundo” starts.
“So if you belong to Workforce APOR and you do not know how to drive, you will not be allowed to be fetched by UPORs,” said Eleazar, stressing that public transportation are still allowed although with 50 percent capacity.
“Mas matindi kasi yung abuso na puwedeng mangyari kung hindi natin makokontrol yan (There is a strong possibility that this (hatid-sundo) will be abused if we will not be able to control it,” he added.