Pampanga border towns strengthen checkpoints

APALIT - Municipalities which are located at the boundary of Pampanga and Bulacan have strengthened their border control points as the reversion to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in the whole of Bulacan province took effect on Wednesday midnight.

The local government units of Apalit, San Simon and Candaba ordered the re-establishment of checkpoints in their respective jurisdiction to limit the movement of people from outside the province.

Apalit Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force Spokesperson Glenn Danting said strict guarding of the checkpoint installed in between Barangay Sulipan here and Calumpit, Bulacan is being implemented in the next 15 days.

Apalit town is the main entry point of Bulacan province and other areas in the south to Pampanga when passing through the MacArthur Highway.

In San Simon, Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr. likewise ordered the stern monitoring of North Luzon Expressway San Simon Exit which serves as the gateway of people from Metro Manila where stricter quarantine protocols is also being imposed.

Punsalan also disclosed that entry and exit points in Barangay Concepcion here going to and from Baliwag, Bulacan are also on lockdown for the duration of the MECQ in Bulacan province. The border control points in Candaba town going to different municipalities in Bulacan province were also re-established as early as Monday noon to regulate the entry and exit of people. Mayor Rene Maglanque said all border control points will be strictly manned by joint forces of the Philippine National Police and barangay to ensure that only authorized persons can come into their municipalities. The three local officials said only healthcare workers, frontliners from different sectors and persons with legitimate business in their jurisdictions will be allowed entry in their jurisdiction. Those who can come in the province must still accomplish health forms for contact-tracing purposes.

The MECQ in Bulacan, National Capital Region, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna is effective until August 18, according to the national IATF.