DOTr revokes face mask, social distancing protocols in public transport

Commuters in the Philippines no longer have to adhere to COVID-19 protocols when inside public vehicles.

This as the Department of Transportation — through Department Order 2023-017  — has withdrawn all orders pertaining to its implementation.

The Order was in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 's Proclamation 297, which lifted the state of public health emergency nationwide.

 

Earlier, the Department of Health echoed the President’s proclamation that revoked the mask requirement in public transport.

Aside from using face masks, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista noted that the physical distancing protocol has also been canceled — allowing all types of passenger vehicles to operate at full capacity.

“This new development is a significant step towards normalizing public transportation and supporting economic recovery,” Bautista said.

“While public safety remains a top priority, the removal of protocols aims to facilitate commuters' convenience, contribute to the revival of the transportation industry, and help stimulate economic activity,” he added.

However, amid the removal of COVID-19 protocols, Bautista said that regular sanitization in public transportation will continue to prevent any potential health risk.

In September 2022, Bautista expressed his support towards the continuous usage of face masks while inside public utility vehicles. The transportation department relayed the secretary’s stand that time amid the Inter-Agency Task Force- Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) recommendation for the optional wearing of face masks in the country.

According to Bautista, he favored the continued face mask protocol in all public transport “because prevailing infection numbers show the virus has not been fully controlled and we should not let our guard down.”

Photos from Ruben Manahan IV, Department of Transportation Facebook page 

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