(SPOT.ph) It is now week god-knows-what of the enhanced community quarantine and with the April 30 extension still far away, it seems people are starting to crack. Reports of suspicious numbers of vehicles out on the road, plus news of cockfights and boxing matches in barangays, have put authorities on high alert.
To curb this, police will now be issuing tickets to vehicles carrying passengers who have no real reason to be out and about. This new directive will be carried out by the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group starting today, April 15, according to cabinet secretary Karlo Nograles.
The new directive is part of the policy on Authorized Persons Outside of Residence. Police will now be inspecting private vehicles to see whether the driver or passenger/s are part of the list of people authorized to leave their residence. If any person inside the vehicle is not on the list, then police will issue a Metropolitan Manila Development Authority-Ordinance Violation Receipt or Land Transportation Office-Temporary Operator's Permit against the driver, clarified Nograles.
Those who are part of the authorized persons are "mga medical and health workers, mga empleyado ng mga essential services, mga frontliners, at iba pa," added the cabinet secretary.
On April 14, there were reports of heavy traffic along the South Luzon Expressway leading to Metro Manila. Authorities pointed to checkpoints hampering the flow of vehicles, but the number of people and vehicles out on the roads have prompted action. Nograles also noted an "increase in number of vehicles traveling along EDSA and major thoroughfares in Metro Manila." There are still a few more weeks to go before the quarantine is scheduled to end; till then, stay safe and sane!
This story originally appeared on Spot.ph. Minor edits have been made by Spin.ph editors.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph