Cops assist locally stranded individuals

July 5, 2020

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday said they are expanding their scope of security operations by providing assistance to thousands of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) in Metro Manila.

“We are prepared to give security to the returning LSIs with proper coordination with their receiving local government units,” PNP Chief, Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa said.

Gamboa said they are helping close to 10,000 LSIs from Metro Manila who wish to go back to their hometowns and provinces through the national government’s "Hatid Tulong" Program which will be held on July 4 to July 5 at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

The program is a transport assistance of the government to LSIs composed of students, workers, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), tourists, among others to go back to their respective places of origin all over the Philippines.

He said for the first day of the program, a send-off ceremony was held at the Quirino Grandstand after the processing of needed documents of LSIs at the One-Stop Shop (OSS) manned by PNP personnel along with help desks for the issuance of Travel Authority to qualified individuals.

Gamboa added the PNP Health Service provided medical teams composed of police doctors and nurses to be deployed to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) in support to the Department of Health (DOH) personnel in the conduct of rapid testing and issuance of medical certificates.

He noted the security measures have been heightened in all seaports, airports, and bus stops for the passage of buses and other vehicles carrying LSIs.

“On our part, the PNP is always here to assist our kababayans and to ensure that this two-day activity will be conducted orderly and peacefully while observing minimum health standards,” Gamboa said.

Gamboa instructed all Police Regional Offices thru local police units to assist their respective LGUs and other agencies for the strict implementation of travel guidelines to the provinces to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Ella Dionisio/DMS