More than 5,000 taxis and ride-hailing cars are set to resume their operations under the general community quarantine in Metro Manila, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board announced yesterday.
The LTFRB approved 5,526 taxi and transport network vehicle service units to ferry passengers in the National Capital Region. It said 3,501 are taxis while 2,025 are TNVS from various transport network companies.
“Kami po ay nagagalak na makakabalik na sa kani-kanilang mga trabaho ang ating mga taxi at TNVS drivers upang makapaglingkod sa ating mga commuters,” LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra III said.
Delgra reminded drivers and operators to strictly observe the protocols set by the Department of Transportation in relation to the guidelines of the health authorities.
These include the mandatory wearing a face mask and gloves, frequent cleaning and disinfecting of units, installing barriers made from non-permeable and transparent materials, compliance with the passenger seating capacity, and the availability of a “daily passenger manifest” or logbook containing information of passengers for contact tracing purposes.
Meanwhile, Malacañang said yesterday that jeepneys may be allowed to operate by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases if they are able to modify their seating arrangement to ensure that there will be physical distancing inside.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after transport groups objected the decision of the government not to allow jeepneys to operate under the GCQ while other modes of public transport are allowed.
Roque asked for the understanding of jeepney drivers and operators, explaining that they are not allowed to operate because it was difficult to ensure physical distancing inside. “Eh, ang mga jeepney po kasi harapan so napakahirap na magkaroon ng social distancing,” he said.
He assured that the IATF will continue reviewing the fate of jeepneys but hinted that it will be better if they can modify their vehicle like the prototype modernized jeepneys. “Meron naman pong mga prototype na jeepneys na kung saan every other seat ang kanilang pinauupuan. Kung ang lahat ng mga jeepneys ay pwedeng mabago ang kanilang upuan sa ganitong paraan, eh pag-aaralan po ‘yan ng IATF ,” Roque said. (Argyll Geducos)
