Malacañang expects employers to provide free shuttle services to their workers who will no report for work despite the implementation of a nationwide community quarantine.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said this as more businesses have been allowed to reopen as quarantine restrictions relax.
“Ang aming assumption po ay gagawa rin sila ng hakbang para matulungan iyong kanilang mga empleyado na makapasok,” he said in a virtual briefing.
[Our assumption is they would find a way to help their employees get to work.]
More establishments have been permitted to resume operations after the community quarantine in several areas in the country were downgraded from to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to modified ECQ (MECQ).
Cebu and Mandaue cities were placed under ECQ, while Metro Manila, Laguna, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Zambales were put under MECQ until May 31 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
General community quarantine (GCQ) was imposed in other areas of the country that are not under ECQ or MECQ.
While some local government units took it upon themselves to provide free transportation to workers, the government could not be given the whole obligation to provide free shuttle services to all returning employees.
“The rule is, kung talagang hindi kaya magbigay ng shuttle, huwag na po tayong magbukas dahil iniiwasan pa rin naman natin ang pagkalat ng Covid-19,” Roque said.
[The rule is if they cannot provide shuttle services, they should not reopen because we are still preventing the spread of Covid-19.]
Mass public transportation in areas under ECQ and MECQ is still suspended.
Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla also submitted a proposal to the national government through a Facebook post. He posted a copy of his letter addressed to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), appealing to allow back riders on motorcycles, especially among couples, as public transportation remains limited.
The spokesperson confirmed that Remulla’s proposal would be considered by the IATF-EID.
