SAFE JEEPNEY RIDE. Passengers wearing face masks and shields inside a traditional jeepney. To ensure continued economic activity in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government required several safety protocols for operators, drivers, and passengers of public transportation. (PNA file photo)
MANILA – Early this year, the Philippines -- along with 191 countries and regions around the world -- was struck by coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), causing widespread interruption in services such as mass transportation.
On March 16, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte placed the entire Luzon under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to restrict the movement of the population and control the spread of Covid-19 through policies such as physical distancing in public transportation.
As the disease continued to spread, public transport through air, sea, and land was eventually suspended in most parts of the country.
On June 1, Metro Manila and surrounding areas were placed under general community quarantine which marked the beginning of resumption of public transport in the country.
Since then, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agencies began the gradual resumption of public transportation while following health protocols such as the mandatory wearing of face masks and shields, no talking, no eating, ensuring proper ventilation, regular disinfection, restricting passengers with Covid-19 symptoms, and physical distancing.
As of Dec. 22, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has authorized 399 routes with 35,153 units of traditional public utility jeepneys (PUJ), 48 routes with 865 modern PUJs, 35 routes with 4,552 public utility buses (PUB), 41 routes with 1,372 provincial PUBs, 42 routes with 608 point-to-point (P2P) buses, 124 routes with 7,184 UV Express units, two routes with 40 modern UV Express Units, 21,663 taxis, and 25,495 transport network vehicle services (TNVS) all over the country.
Train ridership in the National Capital Region (NCR) has also started to pick up in November through eased physical distancing requirements and improvement in rail services.
From December 1 to 27, data from the DOTr showed a total train ridership of 7,858,367 of the four train services in NCR -- the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT-2), the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), and the Philippine National Railways (PNR).
This, compared to total ridership of 30,687,278 for the four rail services from June 1 to November 30.
Air travel in the country -- both international and domestic -- has also resumed with strict requirements such as mandatory RT-PCR testing, quarantine, and other documentation.
As of Dec. 27, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said a total of 43 airports have been cleared by their respective LGUs for commercial operation but still subject to prior coordination and approval.
These are Antique Airport, Bacolod-Silay Airport, Basco Airport, Bohol-Panglao International Airport, Borongan Airport, Busuanga Airport, Butuan Airport, Calbayog Airport, Catarman Airport, Catbalogan Airport, Caticlan Airport, Cauayan Airport, Clark International Airport, Cotabato Airport, Davao International Airport, Dipolog Airport, Dumaguete Airport, General Santos Airport, Guiuan Airport, Hilongos Airport, Iloilo International Airport, Jolo Airport, and Kalibo International Airport;
Others include Laguindingan Airport, Laoag International Airport, Legazpi Airport, Maasin Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Marinduque Airport, Masbate Airport, Naga Airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Ormoc Airport, Ozamiz Airport, Pagadian Airport, Palanan Airport, Romblon Airport, San Jose Airport, Siargao Airport, Surigao Airport, Tacloban Airport, Virac Airport, and Zamboanga International Airport.
Six airports remain closed by their LGUs: Camiguin Airport, Puerto Princesa International Airport, Roxas Airport (permits exceptions through special clearance), Tuguegarao Airport, San Vincente Airport, and Sanga-Sanga Airport.
Maritime transportation in the country continues to decline based on data from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) as of Dec. 17.
From a weekly average of 869 passenger ships and 372 cargo ships operational from May 29 to June 4, MARINA has recorded a decline to 484 passenger ships and 324 cargo ships from Dec. 4 to Dec. 10; and 466 passengers ships and 331 cargo ships from Dec. 11 to Dec. 17.
Transport programs against Covid-19
To ensure continued operation of essential services while controlling the spread of the pandemic and support to the Filipino people, the DOTr and other government agencies worked together through programs against Covid-19.
To help support drivers and operators who suffered through declining revenue due to restrictions in public transport during the pandemic, the LTFRB launched the Service Contracting Program to provide them with additional benefits aside from their regular income.
As of Dec. 10, it said a total of 11,450 drivers of public utility vehicles (PUV) have joined the program throughout the country.
In addition, cash subsidies have been provided to PUV drivers and operators.
As of Dec. 4, the LTFRB said about PHP802 million in cash subsidies have so far been distributed to operators of 123,517 PUVs -- 87.52 percent of the PHP1.158 billion direct cash subsidy budget of the "Bayanihan to Recover as One Act."
The DOTr and its attached agencies provided free transportation to health workers in the NCR and eventually in other parts of the country through the ‘Free Ride for Health Workers Program.’
As of Dec. 28, the program has provided a total of 1,981,684 free rides -- 551,196 in NCR-Greater Manila Area and 1,430,488 in the rest of the country.
To assist overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who need to undergo quarantine, One-Stop Shops (OSS) were established at the NAIA Terminals 1, 2, and 3.
From April 21 to December 27, these OSS have served a total of 457,828 OFWs, aside from 114,935 overseas Filipinos or tourists.
Some of these OFWs were also helped through the government’s ‘Hatid-Tulong’ Program to transport those stranded in Metro Manila and other areas to their home provinces.
As of Dec. 17, the program has assisted a total of 373,293 OFWs through land, air, and maritime travel.
To safeguard the country’s position as one of the top providers of manpower in the shipping industry and help support the country’s economy, the DOTr, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and their attached agencies established six crew change hubs in the country.
These crew change hubs, which house OSS for arriving and disembarking seafarers, are located in Batangas, Subic, Bataan, Port of Manila, Cebu, and Davao.
As of Dec. 11, these crew change hubs and their OSS have served a total of 1,409 ships and 23,609 seafarers, both foreign and domestic.
Mandatory cashless transactions in tollways
To curb the further spread of Covid-19 in both public and private road transport, the DOTr required mandatory cashless transactions in Luzon tollways through radio frequency identification (RFID) tags beginning Dec. 1.
However, the program caused heavy traffic in some parts of these tollways due to problems with RFID scanners, proximity of RFID installation areas to tollgates, among others.
In a virtual hearing with the Senate Public Services Committee on Dec. 17, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade laid out his orders to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) and tollway operators to address these problems.
This includes the conversion of emergency signage to cash signage, transfer or reposition of RFID installation and reloading sites to gas stations or larger areas, putting a designated lane for RFID and cash lanes, allowing emergency vehicles to pass through any lanes, studying the possibility of removing barriers in toll gates, placing separate RFID and cash lanes in small toll plazas, and increasing the wattage specification for RFID sensors.
NAIA rehabilitation
Following repeated calls from civilian groups for the rehabilitation of NAIA, Tugade said the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) will continue its ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction of the NAIA despite the revocation of Megawide’s “Original Proponent Status,” the contractor of the PHP107.54 billion NAIA Comprehensive Capacity Enhancement Project.
He said the “procedural rights” of Megawide will also be recognized, allowing the contractor to appeal the revocation.
Metro Manila Subway
The construction of the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) has continued throughout the year despite limitations brought by the pandemic.
On Dec. 21, the DOTr signed contract package 107 of the MMSP to order a total of 240 train cars for the subway with a total approved cost of almost PHP367 billion.
In September, the DOTr showcased six tunnel boring machines (TBM) manufactured in Japan that will be used to dig through the partial operability section of the project -- from Valenzuela City to North Avenue in Quezon City.
It said the TBMs will arrive in the country by January or February 2021.
Despite the continued challenges brought by the pandemic, these are only a few of many ongoing government projects in transportation.
With no end in sight yet for pandemic, restrictions in transport services in the country continue to ease with the hope of continued economic recovery. (PNA)
