Public transportation under GCQ: a crisis awaiting?

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Per transportation authorities estimations, only 30% of the Metro Manila commuter population will need public transportation once the general community quarantine (GCQ) is rolled out. This figure is about 3 million commuters, but experts have warned that this is an underestimated number.

As Metro Manila shifts to GCQ, mass transportation will show itself as more problematic, both for drivers and commuters. One concerns the drastic reduction in income, while the other pertains to longer commute time and risk of getting infected by the pandemic.

Resumption of mass transportation, while necessary, is not ideal for some public utility vehicles drivers. Shorter routes mean lower income, and sometimes it might just breakeven with the boundary fees and gas.

GCQ does not automatically mean that drivers will be able to go back to the roads right away. Under its new rules, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will identify routes and the number of special permits to be granted per route. To apply, operators must send their application through an “online facility” such as email.

The Department of Transportation, however, has found an opportunity to bring back attention to the controversial PUV modernization program. Since safety protocols dictate less physical interaction, contactless payment will be the norm. Rationalization of routes and special permits will also be deemed necessary.

This is why the PUV modernization program is gaining ground.

However, experts are not sure whether this would be enough. What is clear to Transport planner Robert Siy Jr. is that the National Capital Region would face a tough crisis on transportation once the general community quarantine is imposed.

House committees to hold hearings during break

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Spread the loveMANILA – The House of Representatives has authorized for its committees to conduct hearings during the five-week congressional break, extending until late April.

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