MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has tasked Metro Manila cops to maintain their presence in outdoor leisure areas with the reopening of the said sites under the pilot granular lockdown in the capital region.
Rizal Park and three historical sites in Intramuros began accepting tourists again after months of closure as the country battles a fresh wave of coronavirus cases.
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Metro Manila was placed under Alert Level 4 of the granular lockdown, where some restrictions were eased in a bid to spur economic activity.
"The presence of our uniformed personnel in these areas will serve as a reminder for our 'kababayan' to continuously observe the necessary protection for themselves and their companions,” said Police General Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the PNP.
Eleazar added cops were told to be courteous in reminding those who fail to follow the government's public health protocols.
The Department of Tourism has said Rizal Park is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., with up to 500 individuals allowed at a time.
Only those 18 to 65 years of age would be allowed to visit tourist sites. DOT has also put up "express lanes" for the fully vaccinated tourists in Fort Santiago and Baluarte de San Diego.
Apart from tourist sites, food and business establishments were also permitted to resume operations albeit at a limited capacity.
The PNP chief sought to remind establishments to check on their customers' vaccination cards.
“These new quarantine rules are the balance between containing the spread of the disease and reviving the economy, and eventually will lead us back to normalization," Eleazar added.
Health authorities continue to record five-digit daily infections, with the highest single rise since the pandemic hit seen on September 11 with 26,303 new cases.