MARIVELES, Bataan – Police checkpoints in 11 towns and one city of this province were activated on Sunday as Bataan started implementing the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) that will last until Aug. 22.

Police officers and marshals were seen asking for documents from motorists and travelers at the provincial boundaries.

S/Sgt. Alexander Pablo, who manned one of the checkpoints in Orion town, said they have not encountered any problem as the motorists presented complete requirements.

“Sana ang mga hindi authorized na lumabas ay huwag na munang lumabas para hindi na kumalat ang virus (I hope that those who are not authorized would not go out for the meantime to prevent the spread of the virus),” he said in an interview.

In Mariveles, checkpoint personnel are even more strict as the industrial town is under ECQ with heightened restrictions.

Lt. Marlon Buenaventura, who is in charge of the checkpoint in the town's Barangay Batangas Dos, said work at the Freeport Area of Bataan was suspended during the duration of the ECQ, except for those cleaning and maintaining the machinery, doing the payroll and payment of company obligations and security.

He said some workers were surprised by the work stoppage because they were allegedly not immediately informed by their superiors.

Buenaventura said some people trying to enter Mariveles asked for consideration, reasoning that they were not advised of the ECQ guidelines.

“Kung talagang emergency naman, pinagbibigyan namin at sinasabihan na lang na sa susunod ay dapat kumpleto na sila (If it is indeed an emergency, we allowed them and told them that next time, their documents must be complete),” he said.

Governor Albert Garcia said the spike in Covid-19 cases, some of whom were found infected with the Delta variant, was the main reason for placing Bataan under the ECQ status.

“Ito rin ang dahilan ng nakapanlulumong kritikal na sitwasyon sa mga emergency rooms at intensive care units sa ating mga pagamutan at at sumasagad sa mga kakayahan ng mga health workers sa araw-araw (This is the reason for the critical situation at the emergency rooms and intensive care units in our hospitals and our health workers are getting exhausted every day),” the governor said in a social media post.