MANILA – Following the downgrade of the alert level status, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) plans to recommend to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) an increase in passenger capacity in public utility vehicles (PUVs) in the National Capital Region.
In a news conference on Monday, DOTr Assistant Secretary Steve Pastor stated that they would suggest increasing capacity to accommodate the rising number of people using public transportation.
Currently, the maximum passenger capacity is at 50%.
From October 16 to October 31, the quarantine status in the NCR was lowered from Alert Level 4 to the more relaxed Alert Level 3.
“Tinitignan natin na magtaas ng seating capacity sa public transportation. Bilang tugon sa lumalaking gastusin sa day-to-day operations ng ating operators, and at the same time, this will also address ‘yung matagal na hinihiling ng ating mga kasamahan sa business sector na dapat mas mapalago ang economic activities (We are looking at increasing the seating capacity in public transportation in response to the growing expenses of day-to-day operations of our operators. This will also address the long-time request of the business sector to broaden economic activities). We can contribute to that through an increase in public transportation, and their capacity,” Pastor said.
Pastor stated that the increase in passenger capacity would be “significant,” and that the recommendation to be submitted to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) would be based on both technical and medical assessments.
“The increase will be significant. I cannot give the exact figure at this point in time. Sa puntong ito ay inaaral po natin itong mabuti at kumukuha po kami ng relevant data from studies and journals to back up this proposed increase para matulungan po natin ang mga operators and drivers (At this point we are studying very well and we are getting relevant data from studies and journals to back up this proposed increase so that we can help our operators and drivers),” he said.
He added that the agency would take into account the existing safety protocols in the concerned local government units.
In the meantime, Pastor noted that the DOTr would continue to monitor passenger capacity in PUVs amidst pandemic.
