[ad_1]
TRANSPO CONCERNS. The government is studying the possibility of allowing buses and trains to operate at limited capacity. File photo of KD Madrilejos / Rappler
MANILA, Philippines – The government is studying the possibility of allowing bus and train operations after April 30, but with a partial capacity to limit the spread of the new coronavirus.
This option was discussed at the April 20 meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), said Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.
He was speaking at a virtual press conference on Wednesday, April 22, organized by the government’s communications arm.
“The studies shown by the secretary of the NEDA (National Authority for Economy and Development) mentioned that if we have a partial operability of transportation, especially buses, there should be 30% capacity so that there can be social distance,” he said in the Philippines. .
“That is also what will be done with LRT1, LRT2, MRT3 and PNR,” he said, referring to the metro, light rail and national railways in Metro Manila.
The government is also likely to impose measures such as a “no mask, no travel” policy, mandatory thermal scanning at train stations and bus terminals, and reminders for passengers to wash their hands frequently.
But the limited resumption of public transport has not yet been approved by the IATF. The blockade of all Luzón that suspended the transport will last until April 30.
How about jeepneys, tricycles, taxis, and private vehicles? Tugade has yet to clarify the discussion about allowing jeeps, tricycles, taxis, and private vehicles to roam the roads.
But presidential startup adviser Joey Concepción said private cars and modes of transportation where physical distancing is possible should be allowed in a modified lockdown scenario.
Jeepneys and tricycles are critical modes in Luzon’s public transportation system. Most of the working class depend on them to get around, especially in places far from bus and train routes.
When will public transportation resume? The task force and President Rodrigo Duterte have yet to decide on the post-April 30 scenario for Metro Manila or the entire province of Luzon, which has been locked up since March 17.
The chief executive will make his decision on the closure on Thursday, April 23.
The health experts he consulted recommended lifting the closure of the entire Luzon with strict quarantine measures imposed only in the provinces or cities with a large number of cases of COVID-19.
Among the areas that say they should remain in some form of blockade or quarantine is Metro Manila, the region with the highest number of cases in the country.
At the time of writing, the Philippines has 6,559 coronavirus cases with 437 deaths. – Rappler.com
[ad_2]
