1st day of classes 'light', hundreds of traffic personnel deployed to manage traffic

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) described the traffic situation during the first day of classes as "light".

In a statement from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the board noted that the traffic within the vicinity of some schools were also light since some classes will be starting on September 12.

Further, the LTFRB reported that the volume of passengers in the stations that its personnel manned earlier today was low and that no stranded commuters were reported .

“There were also adequate buses operating on the EDSA Busway on the first day of classes. At 8:45 a.m., the EDSA Busway was operating normally with all stations reporting light volume of passengers,” the DOTr shared.

As part of its “Oplan Byaheng Ayos: Balik Eskwela” Program, the DOTr’s road sector rolled out various initiatives to assist school goers during the first day of face-to-face classes.

The DOTR shared that the Land Transportation Office (LTO), LTFRB and the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT) deployed their respective personnel to help with traffic situations within schools.

The LTO mobilized a total of 438 personnel for the first day of classes to manage traffic within the vicinity of schools in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4-A, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, the Cordillera Administrative Region, and Metro Manila.

Its manpower coordinated with schools; assisted children, teachers, parents, guardians in crossing the streets; inspected public utility vehicle (PUV) terminals and school service vehicles to make sure all are safe; and conducted road safety seminars.

Meanwhile, the LTFRB sent its personnel to man eight Help Desk Areas in the following areas in Quezon City and in Manila’s University Belt area:

• Station 1 (Commonwealth Avenue corner Katuparan St. in front of Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Elementary School, eastbound.)
• Station 2 (Along Batasan Hills in front of QCPU and Batasan Hills High School)
• Station 3 (Katipunan Avenue Cor. Prior Drive infront of Miriam College, northbound)
• Station 4 (Along Taft Avenue in front of Philippine Christian University, northbound)
• Station 5 (Along España Boulevard corner Cayco Street, eastbound)
• Station 6 (Along España corner Don Quijote Street, westbound)
• Station 7 (Along Legarda St., Corner Rafael St. westbound)
• Station 8 (Along Legarda St., Corner Mendiola, eastbound)

Further, the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT) operatives also aided in handling the traffic condition within the school premises.

Moreover, the DOTr said that the “Libreng Sakay” program in different modes of public land transport is based on the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and transportation secretary Jaime Bautista to ease the burden on the public amid the rising cost of fuel and other goods and the continuing challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photos from Department Transportation-Philippines Facebook page

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