The Department of Transportation (DOTr) assured Monday there will be no fare increases should public transportation operations resume under an eased community quarantine in Metro Manila.
“Right now, I think the effect of the fare would be more on the road sector — the buses, jeeps and other modes of transportation,” said DOTr Undersecretary Artemio Tuazon Jr. during an interview over CNN Philippines.
“Right now, we do not have any fare adjustments as of this moment but we are looking into it,” he assured despite the reduced passenger capacities in buses and jeepneys.
Tuazon reminded that “from the time we went to community quarantine there has been a reduction of fuel prices already, about P9 reduction in fuel prices.”
The Undersecretary said the trains of the Philippine National Railways (PNR), Metro Rail Transit (MRT), and Light Rail Transit (LRT) will also have reduced passenger capacities in trains.
“We will be using about 10 to 15 percent capacity. So there will be no more be standing in the trains of the LRT, MRT and the PNR,” he said
“There will train marshals for the LRT and MRT and also for the PNR. So they will be the ones enforcing the social distancing guidelines within the trains,” he added.
Among the ride hailing services, Tuazon said motorcycle services like Joyride and Angkas will not be allowed.
“They will not be allowed to operate because it will be very difficult to implement the social distancing using motorcycles,” he explained.
Tuazon said vehicle hailing services like Grab and private cars will also have to limit the capacity of passengers.
“The maximum passengers that you can have for a car would be three passengers and the driver…one passenger in front and two passengers at the back,” he noted. (Jeffrey Damicog)