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LGUs urged anew to penalize quarantine violators amid threat of COVID-19 variants

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/03/04/20210223-covid19-lockdown-pasay-brgy178-jc-41.jpg"/><figcaption>Residents observe quarantine rules as Barangay 178, Zone 19, Pasay City is placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), Feb. 23, 2021, amid rising COVID-19 cases. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA— The Department of the Interior and Local Government said Thursday it would issue a &quot;reiteration memorandum&quot; directing local government units to penalize their residents not practicing minimum public health protocols as the country detected the presence of 2 highly contagious COVID-19 variants.</p><p>&quot;The emphasis there is this is the only way to prevent the spread of the virus regardless of the variant,&quot; Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing told ANC.</p><p>Through an ordinance, localities can impose sanctions such as imprisonment of up to 5 days, a fine and community service, he added.</p><p>&quot;I may be suggesting those who violate may serve as what we call marshals in certain public areas in their locality to tell people to practice minimum public health protocols,&quot; Densing said.</p><p>The DILG official said there was a need to reiterate its call to penalize violators of COVID-19 rules as many people had become &quot;complacent.&quot;</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1632387" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Nearly a year into the pandemic, the Philippines has <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/03/21/addl-1783-covid-19-cases-logged-in-ph-total-climbs-past-582000">logged over 582,000 coronavirus infections</a>, among the highest in Asia. More than 12,000 people have died from the disease.</p><p>It <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/22/21/philippines-grants-eua-to-covid-19-vaccine-of-chinas-sinovac">began administering COVID-19 shots Monday</a> to health workers and uniformed personnel, trailing dozens of countries in starting its coronavirus vaccination rollout. It used vaccines donated by China&#x27;s Sinovac Biotech.</p><p>Health experts have raised concerns over the presence of 2 more contagious variants of the classic virus - the B.1.1.7 (UK) and B.1.351 (South Africa).</p><p>To date, some 87 cases of the UK variant have been recorded in the country. </p><p>Meanwhile, the Philippines on Tuesday detected its first 6 cases of the South Africa variant. Three of them were found in Pasay City and 2 others from returning Filipino migrant workers from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The health ministry is still verifying the location of the other case.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/02/21/philippines-detects-first-cases-of-south-africa-covid-19-variant">Philippines detects first cases of South Africa COVID-19 variant</a></li></ul>

<p>MANILA— The Department of the Interior and Local Government said Thursday it would issue a "reiteration memorandum" directing local government units to penalize their residents not practicing minimum public health protocols as the country detected the presence of 2 highly contagious COVID-19 variants.<br /> </p>

MANILA— The Department of the Interior and Local Government said Thursday it would issue a "reiteration memorandum" directing local government units to penalize their residents not practicing minimum public health protocols as the country detected the presence of 2 highly contagious COVID-19 variants.