By MARTIN SADONGDONG
The Armed Forces of the Philippines deployed at least 48 buses and trucks to transport hundreds of passengers who were stranded on the first day of the transition of Metro Manila to general community quarantine yesterday.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the AFP coordinated with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to augment the limited public transportation in the metropolis.
“Sa 48 na trucks and buses, anim ang nai-dispatch sa Commonwealth na ito ay libreng sakay,’’ Lorenzana said in a “Laging Handa” press briefing. “Sila ay naglalagari para madala sila sa EDSA,” he added.
Commuters, most of them workers who went back to work, endured up to three hours of waiting and braved the threat of being infected with COVID-19 to catch a ride due to limited public transportation under the GCQ setup.
This was part of the guidelines being implemented by the national government to prevent the surge of new transmission with the relaxation of quarantine protocols in the capital region.
Jeepneys, considered as the most common mode of transportation among the public, were barred from plying the roads. LRT and MRT-3 trains were allowed to operate although in a limited capacity.
Point-to-point buses were allowed but commuters found it hard to catch a ride because there are only fixed points where passengers are allowed to board and disembark.
Checkpoints were also put in place to ensure that only “authorized persons outside residence” were on the road. It includes medical health workers, other front liners, and workers in industries allowed to operate under GCQ.
Individuals are allowed to go out of their homes only for essential travel such as buying food and groceries among others. Travel for leisure is still prohibited.
Those who will go out of their homes are encouraged to wear face mask and observe physical distancing to prevent the spread of the virus that has since infected more than 18,000 individuals in the country.
