Rizal-NCR checkpoint causes massive traffic jam inside bubble

The Philippine National Police set up an NCR Plus border control point between Quezon City and Rizal province on Monday despite PNP officer-in-charge Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar himself clarifying that  travel within the National Capital Region Plus bubble would not be screened.

The NCR Plus bubble policy limited non-essential travel into and out of Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, and Laguna to curtail the surge of COVID-19 cases.

Thus, every motorist crossing the QC-Rizal control point on the Batasan-San Mateo Road had to present identification and explain the purpose of their travel, resulting in a two-hour-long traffic jam.

However, while the new regulation limited travel into and out of the bubble, it was unclear why travel was still being screened between Metro Manila and Rizal given Eleazar's clarification and with both localities being within the so-called bubble.

“Kaya tinawag na bubble 'yan kasi pare-parehas ang implementation,” explained National Capital Region Police Office chief Major General Vicente Danao in Katrina Son's State of the Nation report. “Tapos, kung nandun ka lang sa area mo, for example Cavite, kung wala ka naman gagawin sa ibang lugar, 'di dun ka lang.”

It was also later explained that, aside from determining whether a trip was essential or otherwise, the checkpoints had also something to do with “anti-criminality.”

Meanwhile, Super Radyo dzBB reported that Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian was baffled by the inconsistencies in the NCR Plus border checkpoints.

Gatchalian pointed out that the Valenzuela-Meycauayan, Bulacan control point along the MacArthur Highway was contrary to the "NCR Plus Bubble" concept. — DVM, GMA News