The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday ordered all transportation sectors to implement the “one-seat apart” rule to increase public transport capacity to support the reopening of the economy.
DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade said it ordered the immediate adoption of the one-seat apart rule to increase the present capacity in public utility vehicles (PUVs), and gradually increase capacity, or allow sitting together— provided that plastic barriers are placed in between passengers, or that UV lights were used.
This, after President Rodrigo Duterte and his Cabinet decided to approve the recommendations proposed by the Economic Development Cluster (EDC) to aid in economic recovery.
But the The OCTA Research Group – a team of professors analyzing COVID-19 data in the Philippines – does not favor any form of reduced physical distancing in public transport, a member said Wednesday.
Prof. Guido David said OCTA earlier rejected government’s plan to ease physical distancing in public vehicles from 1 meter to .75 meters.
David, in an interview with ABS-CBN TeleRadyo, said: “If you have overcrowding in public transport, even if you wear face mask and face shield, the risk of community transmission will still increase especially if there’s a superspreader. The risk and chances of infecting others will increase.”
He added: “We don’t favor reducing physical distancing although they said they have studies. I have not seen them so I can’t comment on their scientific basis.”
The group expressed concern over the proposal to allow people aged 18 to 65 to go out of their homes as those aged 55 to 64 have a case fatality rate of 7 percent, David said.
The current IATF policy bars those younger than 21 and older than 60 to go out.
“I would still caution them from going outside unnecessarily kasi mataas (because it’s high)… that means 7 out of 100 ang mamamatay kapag na-infect sila (when they’re infected),” he said.
He added: “We understand this is to stimulate economic recovery but at the same time we still have a pandemic. Even other countries say you cannot fully make the economy fully recover while the pandemic persists.”
The country’s daily COVID-19 cases could decline to 500 to 600 by the end of the month if quarantine measures remain, David added.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will be issuing a clarificatory memorandum circular explaining in detail the “one-seat apart” rule and the use of measures to increase capacity while ensuring safety of passengers, such as the use of plastic barriers to separate passengers, or UV lights, inside PUVs.
In addition, Tugade directed the LTFRB to open up more public transport routes and authorize more roadworthy units, such as provincial and city buses, as well as public utility jeepneys.
He also ordered the agency to allow the operation of additional transport network vehicle services (TNVS), and taxis.
Under the current policy, there is no cap on the number of additional taxis and TNVS units to be deployed for as long as they are duly-accredited by the Transport Network Corporations (TNCs) for purposes of contact tracing, are authorized to operate (with appropriate CPC or P.A.) and, more importantly, are compliant with public health protocols set by IATF.
With regard to the clamor for the return of motorcycle taxis on the streets, Tugade reiterated that the DOTr will fully support this, provided that a Congress Resolution is passed to serve as the DOTr’s legal basis for its implementation.
“The DOTr recognizes the role of motorcycle taxis in transporting our commuters to their destinations. As long as there is a Congress Resolution, which will be our legal basis to allow the operation of MC Taxis, we will fully support this. We will abide by the directive of Congress and the IATF on the health and safety protocols,” Tugade said.
To add more transport service for employees and workers, Tugade ordered the LTFRB to speed up the processes needed for the deployment and operation of shuttle services.
Aside from PUVs, Tugade likewise ordered the Rail Sector to increase passenger capacity by 30 percent to 50 percent.
In the maritime sector and aviation sectors, the Secretary directed agencies to allow more Ro-Ro (roll on and roll off) ferries and more flights to cater to passengers.
The Philippines on Tuesday reported 344,713 cases of COVID-19, with 293,383 recoveries and 6,372 deaths.
Meanwhile, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said motorcycle taxis needed the permission of lawmakers to return to roads to help workers get to their workplaces and create jobs.
The Palace official said the operation of public transportation was limited because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The inter-agency task force leading the pandemic response “has done what it could do” by endorsing to the House transportation committee the resumption of a pilot study on motorcycle taxis,” Roque said.
“The Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases already did what it can do. I hoped that Congress would at least extend the pilot study on motorcycle taxis,” Roque said in an interview over CnN Philippines.
He said motorcycle taxi could not operate without a franchise and if Congress would agree through a resolution, the continuation of the pilot study prior to the approval of the franchise would allow them to operate..
The Palace official, however, said it would still be better if Congress would just give motorcycle taxis their franchise.
“The best solution, of course, is for Congress to pass the franchise as [a] law already but we leave that to the sound judgment of Congress,” he said.
Last week the IATF endorsed the drafting of an “appropriate Congress resolution” that will allow motorcycle taxis to return to the streets. This was supported by several local chief executives in Metro Manila.
The Motorcycle Taxi Technical Working Group led by Land Transportation Office Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante completed the pilot run of motorcycle taxis in March this year.