The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Thursday jeepneys are still not allowed to operate in areas under GCQ or general community quarantine, but buses are allowed at 50 percent capacity.
On May 1, public transportation in GCQ areas will resume partial operation provided that a “one-meter distance between passengers” is observed.
“Mabubuksan na po ang lahat ng riles, kalye, pantalan, at airports sa mga areas ng GCQ po, GCQ lang,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online press conference.
(All railways, roads, ports, and airports will be opened in the GCQ areas, GCQ only.)
“Provided that in all public transports, a strict one-meter distance between passengers shall be observed and appropriate engineering controls in place,” he added.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año, however, said jeepneys are not included among public utility vehicles that are allowed to operate in GCQ areas partially.
“‘Yung jeepney, hindi pa yan pinapayagan (Jeepneys are still not allowed to operate),” Año said in the same briefing.
“Makikita ninyo yung configuration ng jeepney, magkakakaharap yung mga tao dyan at pagka lumabas yung isang pasahero dyan, mabubugahan niya lahat ng dadaanan niya,” he explained.
(You can see the jeepney’s configuration, passengers would be facing each other, and when one passenger alights, he/she could cough on all other passengers.)
Also read: Travel guidelines for ECQ, GCQ areas
Año meanwhile said passenger bus could resume their operations at 50 percent capacity.
“Normally, 50 percent lang ang ma-accommodate sa capacity nya. Kung 50 ang kanyang capacity, 25 lang ang makakasakay doon. At gagawan niya na alternate ang pagupo ng mga pasahero at mandatory wearing of face masks,” he said.
(Normally, the bus could only accommodate 50 percent of its capacity. So if it can carry 50 people, it could now only allow 25 passengers aboard. The seating arrangement should be alternate, and the wearing of face masks is mandatory.)
He also said passengers should go through thermal scanning first before they could ride the vehicle. The use of alcohol and hand sanitizer must also be observed.
Año said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) would be releasing its guidelines for partial operations of other public utility vehicles (PUVs).