MANILA—The Chairperson of the Committee on Transportation of the House of Representatives, Samar Representative Edgar Mary Sarmiento said that the transportation sector is ready for the gradual reclassification of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to general community quarantine (GCQ) in many parts of Metro Manila and the country.
Rep. Sarmiento said in a radio-TV interview, Sunday, that it is up to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Disease as the central agency to determine whether or not they will consider the recommendation of the mayors in Metro Manila on the status of the ECQ.
“They have to weigh kung ano ang importante, ang buhay ba o hanapbuhay. Pero sa sektor ng transportasyon ay masaya kong sabihin na all systems go na,” Rep. Sarmiento said, referring to the action of the IATF on the recommendation of the Metro Manila Development Council to either extend of gradual phasing out of ECQ to GCQ in some parts of Metro Manila during their meeting on Friday, May 8.
He said he was happy with the development of the sector because the Department of Transportation, the Land Transportation and Franchising and Regulatory Board and other stakeholders in the transportation sector had assured him that everything was ready like the railways, maritime, airlines and buses, including the security support from the Philippine National Police.
“I was assured by DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade and LTFRP chairperson Atty. Martin Delgra III that the LRT and MRT are ready, the bus stops, and the fielding of 4,600 buses in Metro Manila, but maintaining at least 50 percent capacity to observe the social distancing requirement when their operation would start anew,” he said.
But he continued that he still pushes for a dry run to be conducted on Tuesday especially in the land transportation sector because it is very hard to manage due to the sheer number of passengers.
“Mas mahirap ang sa jeepney at sa tricycle but Atty. Delgra told me that LTFRB will issue a Memorandum Circular on Monday, May 11, setting the guidelines for the post-ECQ transportation scenario”, Rep. Sarmiento further said.
