Six additional routes for city buses will be opened within the week to ferry more essential commuters as modes of transportation remain limited in Metro Manila under the general community quarantine (GCQ), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced Monday.
In a statement, the DOTr and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said city buses can use six more routes in the greater Manila area this week beginning Tuesday.
According to the DOTr, routes to be launched on Tuesday are Route 14 from Ayala to Alabang; Route 15 from Ayala to Biñan, Laguna; and Route 27 from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) to Trece Martires, Cavite.
While another three routes will also be opened on Thursday, June 18 which include Route 23 from PITX to Sucat; Route 26 from PITX to Naic; and Route 30 from PITX to Cavite City.
“Ang unti-unting pagbubukas ng mga ruta ay base sa gradual, calibrated, at in phases approach na pinapairal ng pamahalaan sa pagbabalik-serbisyo ng pampublikong transportasyon,” the DOTr said.
Operations of public transportation have been allowed by the DOTr to resume in two phases under GCQ which started first week of June, after the over two months of hard lockdown in the metropolis due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
For the first phase from June 1 to 21, the DOTr has allowed the operation with a limited passenger capacity of trains, bus augmentation for trains, taxis, transport network vehicle services, shuttle services, P2P buses, and bicycles.
Other modes of transportation such as public utility buses, modern jeepneys, and UV Express will resume on the second phase which will run from June 22 to 30. (Alexandria San Juan)
