There will be closer coordination between the local government units (LGUs) and the police force once the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila starts on August 6, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said Tuesday night.

“It is the mayors that requested more PNP (Philippine National Police) officers to be deployed in vaccination sites, ayuda (assistance) distribution points, and along the borders to enforce the public health standards and community quarantine protocols,” Año said in a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

This came as the government announced that those who are availing of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines are considered as authorized persons outside of residence (APOR).

On Tuesday, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also said LGUs could manually distribute financial aid for ECQ-affected residents due to the limited time provided and because some beneficiaries do not have smartphones that are used for digital transactions.

Metro Manila will be under ECQ from August 6 to 20 to prevent the spread of the highly transmissible Covid-19 Delta variant.

The Department of Health earlier warned that Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila could swell up to 15,000 daily if the ECQ would not be implemented.

Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief, Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr., in a radio interview on Tuesday, reminded Metro Manila residents spending their vacation in nearby provinces that they have until Thursday to return to their homes to avoid inconvenience.

Beginning Friday, quarantine control points at the border of Metro Manila and neighboring provinces will be established while curfew hours from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. will be implemented. (PNA)