DOTr to push for increased PUV passenger capacity

Following the easing of quarantine restrictions in the National Capital Region (NCR) with a reclassification from Alert Level 4 to Level 3, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to recommend to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) an increase in passenger capacity for public utility vehicles (PUV).

“Irerekomenda po ng Kagawaran ng Transportasyon ang pagtaas ng passenger capacity sa ating mga PUVs (The Department of Transportation will recommend the increase of passenger capacity on PUVs) to cope up with the increased number of individuals using public transport due to the imposition of a more relaxed quarantine status,” Transportation Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Steve Pastor said in a media briefing yesterday.

Pastor said that the targeted increase in capacity would help commuters looking for a ride as well as the PUV drivers and operators whose daily expenses in operations continue to rise.

Currently, public transport is only allowed to ferry half of its capacity, as mandated by health protocols.

“Nais po naming bigyang diin yung guidance ni Secretary Art Tugade na dapat po balansehin natin ang pangangailangan ng ating mga drivers, ‘yung pangangailangan ng ating mga operators kumpara sa kakayanan ng ating mga pasahero ngayong pandemya. Maalala natin na karamihan sa ating mga kababayan ay nahinto sa trabaho, yung iba naman ay babalik pa lamang sa trabaho because of the Level 3 status dito sa NCR (We would like to emphasize the guidance given by Secretary Art Tugade that we should strike a balance between the needs of the drivers and operators and the capacity of the passengers during this pandemic. To recall, many of our countrymen have lost their jobs, and some of them are bouncing back [to their jobs> because NCR is now on Level 3 status),” Pastor noted.

Though not revealing the exact figure, Pastor claimed that the passenger capacity adjustment will be significant. He also said that the recommendation will be backed up by technical and medical studies to ensure the safety of the commuting public.

For the meantime, the agency will continue its monitoring of passenger capacity in currently running PUV amid the pandemic.

“Kasabay din ng pagdami ng ating pasahero ay ‘yung mga nag-violate ng ating existing health protocols. Kung kaya’t nag meet kami ng I-ACT to reiterate yung directive ni Secretary Tugade that health protocols should be enforced at all times. Kaya tuloy ang pagkakaron ng random inspections, random mystery passengers to ensure po na 50-percent maximum load po tayo at this point in time habang isinaayos pa namin ang ating magiging request sa IATF to increase the seating capacity (Following the increase of passengers is the rising number of those violating the existing health protocols. That’s why we have met with the I-ACT to reiterate Secretary Tugade’s directives to enforce health protocols at all times. So, random inspections and (the fielding of) random mystery passengers will continue to be conducted to ensure that the 50-percent maximum load is strictly followed, while we are preparing the request to IATF to increase the seating capacity),” he said.

Photos from Ruben D. Manahan IV

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