PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo (Screengrab from Laging Handa briefing)
MANILA – Police personnel in Metro Manila will remain on full alert for the rest of the week as travelers return home after the 'Undas' long weekend on Wednesday, which also marks the start of full in-person classes in public schools.
“Ang ating concentration ngayon ng ating deployment, particularly ito ngang inaasahan nating simula ng face-to-face classes ay dito sa Metro Manila. Kaya iyong ating full alert status ay mananatili hanggang Nov. 4 (The concentration of our deployment is particularly the start of full face-to-face classes here in Metro Manila. So our full alert status will remain until Nov. 4),” PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said in a Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday.
Fajardo said police assistance desks will be set up near the schools to provide security not only to the parents and students but the teaching and other school staff as well.
DepEd Order (DO) No. 44 series, signed by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Oct. 17, directs all public schools to implement five-day physical classes starting Nov. 2.
Private schools may implement full face-to-face (F2F) classes or continue with blended learning.
Through DO 44, DepEd pointed out the importance of F2F classes as the “best option for basic education.”
“[DepEd] maintains its confidence in the benefits of holding in-person classes to promote academic development and the overall mental health and well-being of our learners,” the DO said.
Fajardo said regional directors are given the authority to decide on their areas of responsibility with regard to the heightened alert status and how they will be implemented.
“Ang ating mga field commanders, particularly iyong ating mga regional directors, are given full discretion po para i-extend po itong heightened alert status natin para siguraduhin nga po na sa kabila nga po ng patuloy nating pag-focus dito sa pag-obserba po ng Undas ay masisiguro po na mayroon po tayong mga nakatalaga na mga police assistance desk sa mga eskuwelahan para alalayan po iyong mga estudyante, ang mga guro at ang kanilang mga magulang sa pagbubukas po formally ng ating face-to-face classes (Our field commanders, particularly our regional directors, are given full discretion to extend our heightened alert status to make sure that despite our continued focus on the observance of Undas, they can be assured that we have assigned police assistance desks in schools to support students, teachers and their parents in the formal opening of our face-to-face classes),” said Fajardo.
Fajardo also admitted that while they are stretched with providing security in cemeteries and columbaria and the return of travelers from the provinces, they are thankful for the help extended by force multipliers such as the officials of every village.
He said they also preparing for the possible onslaught of Tropical Depression Queenie.
The PNP has deployed a total of 40,762 personnel to secure this year's annual observance of Undas. (PNA)
