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Thousands of police seal Philippine capital to fight virus Philippines isolates Manila to fight coronavirus outbreak
(about 13 hours later)
MANILA, Philippines — Thousands of police in the Philippines, backed by the army and coast guard, started sealing the densely populated capital from most domestic travelers Sunday in one of Southeast Asia’s most drastic containment moves against the new coronavirus. MANILA, Philippines — Thousands of police officers and army troops started sealing the Philippines’ densely populated capital on Sunday at the start of one of Southeast Asia’s most drastic containment moves against the new coronavirus.
Mayors also announced plans to impose a night curfew in Metropolitan Manila, home to more than 12 million people. Residents have been asked to stay home except for work and urgent errands under monthlong restrictions that took effect Sunday. Under monthlong restrictions imposed in the entire Manila metropolis — home to more than 12 million people — residents are compelled to stay at home, except when they need to leave for work or go on urgent errands, including medical emergencies.
The citywide quarantine means the suspension of domestic travel by land, air and sea to and from the capital region. Large gatherings like concerts, movies and cockfighting will be prohibited and most government work in executive department offices will be suspended in the metropolis. School closures at all levels were extended by a month. Police and soldiers set up checkpoints at entryways to Manila to check commuters for fever with thermal scanners on Sunday, snarling traffic all day. But despite the delays, most commuters remained patient, with troops politely apologizing.
President Rodrigo Duterte announced what he billed a “general community quarantine” of the entire metropolis on Thursday. Officials issued guidelines on Saturday after confusion over the drastic moves set off panic buying in supermarkets and prompted many provincial residents to stream out of the metropolis, fearing they would be stranded in the capital. “The traffic is heavy and this is disruptive, but it’s OK. It’s for our own good, for our health,” said one commuter, Teresita Paraon.
Officials said the temporary restrictions will not amount to a lockdown of the capital because many workers and emergency personnel like medical staff will be able to enter and leave the capital. Residents can move within the metropolis on their way to work or for urgent errands, including medical emergencies, officials said. A driver stuck in a traffic jam, Romel Gaso, said, “We cannot do anything but follow the protocol if we don’t want to make things worse.”
The metropolis-wide restrictions involve the suspension of domestic travel by land, air and sea to and from the capital region. Large gatherings including concerts, movies, parties and cockfighting are prohibited and most government work in executive department offices will be suspended in the metropolis. School closures at all levels were extended by a month.
Enforcement of the containment moves appeared lenient in some areas on Sunday, but officials said law enforcers would be stricter in the coming days.
Movement of cargo and food shipments will continue unhampered, they said.Movement of cargo and food shipments will continue unhampered, they said.
Nevertheless, by early Sunday truckloads of policemen and soldiers spread to the peripheries of the metropolis and started to man checkpoints on major entry and exit points. The coast guard announced a no-sail policy in Manila Bay but said cargo ships, fishing boats, government vessels and some foreign ships were exempted from the ban. Traffic jams have long been a part of life in Manila, even on weekends, with the bustling capital home to some of Asia’s largest shopping malls. But traffic in the city was considerably lighter on Sunday and some usually crowded Roman Catholic church areas looked barren.
A copy of the guidelines said the movement of people in the Manila metropolis “shall be limited to accessing basic necessities and work.” In a chapel in suburban Quezon city, a Catholic priest celebrated Mass with an altar boy and an organ player in front of empty wooden pews. A cameraman live-streamed the Mass to devotees on Facebook after church leaders canceled Sunday Masses due to the virus outbreak.
“If you’ll go to work, go. If you need to go out for medical treatment, go. If you’ll buy food, go, but other than that, stay home,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano told a news conference on Saturday. “We should practice social distancing.” Philippine health officials reported 29 new cases of coronavirus infections Sunday, bringing the number of cases in the country to 140. Eleven of the infected have died.
Philippine health officials reported dozens of new cases infections Saturday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 111. Eight of the patients have died.
While the virus can be deadly, particularly for the elderly and people with other health problems, for most people it causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. Some feel no symptoms at all and the vast majority of people recover.While the virus can be deadly, particularly for the elderly and people with other health problems, for most people it causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. Some feel no symptoms at all and the vast majority of people recover.
Ano said the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, which was proposed by 17 mayors, would apply to nonessential trips and leisure gatherings like parties, family reunions and concerts. Stressing the urgency of the move, he cited the case of Italy, where he said the numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths alarmingly spiked because effective containment steps were not put in place early. Manila’s usually crowded international airport banned non-passengers in its terminals and discouraged those without confirmed flight bookings from going to the airport.
“The considerable number of chance passengers causes overcrowding inside the airport terminals and goes against the social distancing measures being implemented by the government,” airport officials said in a statement.
Several mayors have announced plans for night curfews, which they said would start in the next few days once legal requirements are completed. Shopping malls have been asked to close to discourage crowds, but grocery stores, drugstores and banks will be allowed to stay open.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, which was proposed by 17 mayors, would apply to nonessential trips and leisure gatherings like parties, family reunions and concerts. Stressing the urgency of the move, he cited the case of Italy, where he said the numbers of coronavirus infections and deaths alarmingly spiked because effective containment steps were not put in place early.
Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said cities and towns would enforce the curfew once their separate councils have authorized it in the next few days.Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said cities and towns would enforce the curfew once their separate councils have authorized it in the next few days.
Ano warned that infections may exponentially increase to several thousand in the Philippines in five months if effective containment actions are not set in place. He told The Associated Press that it’s one of the worst-case scenarios drawn up by the government along with World Health Organization experts.
Metropolitan Manila police chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas has threatened to arrest people who don’t comply with the new restrictions. But a prominent human rights lawyer, Jose Manuel Diokno, said law enforcers could not arrest anyone for resisting emergency health restrictions.
Under Philippine law, police can arrest people without a warrant only if they have committed or are about to commit a crime, Diokno said.
The 74-year-old Duterte himself was tested for the virus on Thursday after he met Cabinet officials, who said they were exposed to people who tested positive for the coronavirus. Duterte tested negative, according to his spokesman.
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Associated Press journalists Aaron Favila and Joeal Calupitan contributed to this report.
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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.