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    • DOTr allows motorcycle ride-hailing firm Angkas to legally operate

    Robie de Guzman   •   May 10, 2019   •   2528

    MANILA, Philippines – Motorcycle ride-hailing company Angkas may now operate legally in the country beginning next month, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced on Friday.

    After months of public clamor, motorcycle taxis can start picking up passengers again without fear of apprehension.

    In a statement, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said he had approved the pilot operations of motorcycle taxis in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu from June until the end of 2019.

    “Inaasahang magsisimula ang pilot implementation ng motorcycle taxi operations, katuwang ang ride-hailing service na Angkas, sa unang bahagi ng Hunyo o isang buwan matapos lagdaan ni Secretary Tugade ang General Guidelines sa pilot implementation, at kasunod ng pagpapatupad ng naaayong public awareness campaign,” he said.

    However, Tugade clarified that the operation is just a test run for six months to help lawmakers finalize proposals on motorcycle ride booking.

    “Importante ang pilot implementation na ito upang ma-refine pa natin ang general guidelines, at masilip ang mga posibleng problema sa proseso o sa standards, nang sa gayon ay makatulong tayo sa pagbabalangkas ng batas na talagang akma sa mga pangangailangan at kaligtasan ng ating mga commuter,” Tugade said.

    He also reminded motorcycle taxi drivers to follow safety requirements, like wearing helmet and reflectorized vest; observing the 60-kilometer per hour speed limit and maintenance of motorcycle’s condition.

    “Mariin naming binabalaan ang mga ride-hailing servicena sumunod sa safety requirements sa kanilang operasyon. Huwag ninyong sayangin ang tiwalang ipinagkaloob namin sa inyo sa pagbibigay ng serbisyo publiko sa mga commuter,” Tugade said.

    The management of Angkas and its over 27,000 motorcycle units have welcomed the good news.

    “We are very happy that Secretary Tugade is looking into this… We will definitely provide all the necessary updates on the application and also on the information campaign to the public,” said George Royeca, the head of Angkas regulatory and public affairs.

    Angkas’ operation was suspended in November 2017 by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for operating without business permit and violating the land transportation and traffic code.

    Angkas challenged the suspension order before the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court, which issued a preliminary injunction against the order in September 2018.

    After it resumed operations, the Supreme Court issued in December a temporary restraining order against Mandaluyong court ruling, suspending Angkas’ operations. (with details from Joan Nano)

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    One-meter physical distancing will be observed in public transport — Duterte

    Maris Federez   •   September 19, 2020

    MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has decided that the one-meter distance between passengers in public transport must be observed, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced Saturday.

    “Mananatili po ang one-meter distancing sa pampublikong transportasyon,” Roque said through state-run PTV4.

    He added though that talking inside public transport vehicles is still not allowed and that the minimum health protocol such as wearing of face masks and face shields shall remain.

    “Sasamahan din ng pagsuot ng face mask at face shield,” he said.  “Bawal ang magsalita sa mga pampublikong transportasyon.”

    The Palace spokesperson said the president made the decision on Friday night amid opposing opinions of medical experts on the matter..

    The Department of Transportation has allowed the public transport system in the country to implement a “reduced physical distancing” policy starting Monday, September 14.

    From the previous one-meter physical distancing marker between passengers, it was reduced to .75-meter safe distance.

    The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) said it approved the proposal to provide service to the increasing number of passengers brought about by the reopening of more businesses.

    The proposal provide for a further reduction of physical distancing to 0.5 meters after two weeks, and to 0.3 meters after another two weeks.

    Read: DOTr reduces physical distancing markers in public transport

    A panel of doctors has expressed support for the gradual reduction of physical distancing inside public transportation vehicles.

    The medical experts, which include former Department of Health Secretaries Manuel Dayrit and Esperanza Cabral, said that while the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends keeping a distance of one meter from other passengers to the extent possible, “it allows for adjustments based on context.”

    Read: Group of medical experts back reduced distancing policy in public transport

    Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año, however, said the DOTr released the operational guidelines on reduced physical distancing in public transport without consulting health experts and the Metro Manila local government units. — /mbmf

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    Pagpapaikli sa distansya ng mga pasahero sa public transport, sinuspindi ng DOTr

    Robie de Guzman   •   September 17, 2020

    MANILA, Philipines – Sinuspindi muna ng Department of Transportation (DOTr) ang pagpapatupad sa polisiya na nagpapaikli sa distansya sa pagitan ng mga pasahero upang mapataas sana ang ridership o bilang ng mga maaaring isakay sa mga pampublikong sasakyan.

    Ayon kay Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, balik muna sa one-meter physical distancing ang mga pasahero dahil wala pang pinal na desisyon si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte kaugnay ng isyu.

    Ani Roque, inanunsiyo ito ni Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade nang magpulong ang mga miyembro ng Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) ngayong Huwebes.

    “Pansamantalang isususpinde po ang implementasyon ng 0.75 [meter] na distancing sa mga pampublikong transportasyon at ibabalik po ito sa sa one meter,” ang wika ni Roque sa isang televised press briefing.

    Dagdag pa ng opisyal, pag-aaralan pa ng Pangulo ang isusumiteng ulat ng IATF ukol sa naging talakayan at rekomendasyon hinggil sa polisiya.

    Maaari aniyang ilabas ng punong ehekutibo ang kanyang pasya sa isyu sa susunod na linggo.

    Sa ilalim ng panuntunan na inilabas ng DOTr noong nakaraang linggo, ang kasalukuyang one-meter distance ng mga pasahero ay paiikliin sana sa 0.75 meters simula Setyembre 14. Muli itong babawasan pagkatapos ng dalawang linggo.

    Hati naman ang pananaw ng iba’t ibang sektor sa nasabing polisiya.

    May grupo ng mga manggagamot na nagsasabing mapanganib ito sa kalusugan ng publiko sa gitna ng banta ng COVID-19 habang may iba namang pabor na bawasan ang itinatakdang agwat ng physical distancing.

    Kabilang sa mga sumusuporta sa polisiyang ito ang dating kalihim ng Department of Health na si Manuel Dayrit.

    Ayon kay Dayrit, maaari namang bawasan ang agwat ng mga pasahero sa loob ng pampublikong sasakyan ngunit kailangang matiyak na nasusunod ang mga inilatag na health protocols upang huwag mahawa sa virus.

    Kabilang sa health protocols ang pagsusuot ng face masks, face shields at pagbabawal sa pagsasalita at pagkain ng mga pasahero habang nasa biyahe. Dapat rin aniya ay may sapat na bentilasyon ang sasakyan, malinis at bawal sumakay ang mga pasaherong asymptomatic.

    “We have to take this as a full package. Hindi lang physical distancing ang issue dito, if you just argue by physical distancing, you’re missing out other interventions that we could use and also we are only doing it sa ating public transport so that our people can move so that the economy can open,” ang wika ni Dayrit.

    Ang dating special consultant ng National Task Force na si Dr. Anthony Leachon, tutol naman sa reduced physical distancing sa public transport dahil hindi aniya dapat naisasakripisyo ang health standards sa pagbubukas ng ekonomiya ng bansa.

    Hinimok din niya si Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, maging ang medical community, na payuhan si Pangulong Duterte sa mga paraan para sa ligtas na pagpapasigla sa ekonomiya sa kabila ng pandemiya.

     “Finally, it’s the right thing to do. PRRD should be advised by Sec. Duque and the medical community. We can reopen the economy and support public transport without sacrificing health standards especially social distancing measures,” ang pahayag ni Leachon. – RRD (mula sa ulat ni Correspondent Rosalie Coz)

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    DOTr reduces physical distancing markers in public transport

    Maris Federez   •   September 14, 2020

    MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation has allowed the public transport system in the country to implement a “reduced physical distancing” policy starting Monday, September 14.

    From the previous one-meter physical distancing marker between passengers, it is now at .75-meter safe distance.

    The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) has approved the reduced physical distancing to provide service to the increasing number of passengers brought about by the reopening of more businesses.

    “Ang basehan nila dito sa mga numero na binigay nila ay yung mga pag-aaral na ginawa nila sa sarili at pati narin pag-aaral na ginawa ng medical experts natin. Nakita namin na pwede naman talagang liitan yung pagitan ng mga pasahero basta nandun pa rin ang health protocols,” said DOTr Usec. Artemio Tuazon.

    Effective Monday, the LRT-1 will accommodate 204 passengers from the previous 155; while the LRT-2 will accept 212 passengers from the previous 160-capacity.

    The MRT-3, in the meantime, said that from 153 passengers, it will now accommodate 204 passengers per trip.

    The Philippine National Railways, on the other hand, said it will increase the passenger capacity of their trains to 184 from the previous 166.

    The DOTr also announced that standing will now be allowed inside modern jeepneys and passenger buses, increasing their capacity by up to three additional passengers. This increased passenger capacity is also applied in traditional jeepneys and UV express units.

    Passenger ships are also allowed to increase their capacity to up to 75 percent from the earlier 50%.

    Airline companies, in the meantime, will not be changing their policies on physical distancing as they are using heap filters in the aircraft ventilations ensuring a lower chance of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission.

    “Sa loob naman ng eroplano dahil sa kanyang filter system halos kapareho, kalebel sya ng operation ng humidifier where every 3 minutes nagpapalit sya ng air condition at very little or hardly were it says na merong nagkaroon ng transmission sa loob ng eroplano,” said CAAP Director-General Capt. Jim Syndiongco.

    In the next two weeks, the DOTr will once again reduce the physical distancing to .50 meters, and subsequently, will further reduced to .30 meters.

    The department, however, ensured that with the implementation of the reduced physical distancing protocol, the minimum health standards will still prevail.

    On the other hand, in the event that COVID-19 cases will once again increase, the physical distancing in the public transport system will be reverted one meter. —(with details from Joan Nano) /mbmf

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