MANILA, Philippines — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has opened eight more routes for traditional jeepneys in Metro Manila to assist commuters into the gradual reopening of the economy amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Starting Wednesday (November 18), eight additional routes in the National Capital Region (NCR) will be opened to an additional 1,043 units of traditional public utility jeepneys (PUJs) that the agency permitted to operate.

These routes are the following:

• T181 Evergreen Subdivision – Bagong Silang/Evergreen Subdivision – Philcoa
• T3189 MCU – Recto via F. Huetias, Oroquieta
• T3190 Pier South – Project 6 via España
• T3191 Pier South – Project 8 via Quezon Ave.
• T3192 Project 6 – T.M. Kalaw via Quezon Ave.
• T3193 Project6-Vito Cruz via Quezon Ave.
• T3194 Project 8 – Quiapo via Roosevelt Ave.
• T3195 Project 8 – T.M. Kalaw via Quezon Ave.

With the additional routes, the NCR now has a total number of 386 traditional PUJ routes opened by the LTFRB to 386.

“Maaaring bumiyahe ang mga roadworthy PUVs na may valid at existing Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) o Application for Extension of Validity, at kinakailangang naka-rehistro sa Personal Passenger Insurance Policy ang bawat unit sa mga rutang nakapaloob sa MC,” the LTFRB said in its Memorandum Circular 2020-073 issued November 16.

[Roadworthy PUVs with valid and existing Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) or Application for Extension of Validity may operate and they must be registered in the Personal Passenger Insurance Policy.]

“Bilang kapalit ng Special Permit (SP), mayroong QR Code na ibibigay sa bawat operator na dapat ilagay sa short bond paper at ipaskil sa PUV. Mada-download ang QR Code mula sa official website ng LTFRB,” it said.

[In lieu of the Special Permit (SP), a QR code will be given to each operator which should be printed in a short bond paper and posted in the PUV.]

Meanwhile, the agency stressed that there has been no approval of any fare increase in traditional jeepneys.

Also, the LTFRB reminds drivers, operators and commuters that minimum health standards against COVID-19 transmission must be strictly implemented at all times.

MANILA, Philippines — Several groups of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) have expressed their gratitude to President Rodrigo Duterte on his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Around 300 Filipinos representing several groups of OFWs from different countries met online and simultaneously watched the President’s SONA.

They said the chief executive did not let them down as he urged Congress “to pass a law establishing the Department of Overseas Filipino solely on addressing the concerns of Filipinos abroad and their families.”

Last March, the lower House passed the creation of the Department of Filipino Overseas and Foreign Deployment. The Senate, on the other hand, is still hearing the bill.

In his SONA, the President reiterated his commitment of support to OFWs.

He called on the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other agencies to allocate trainings and programs for OFWs.

With this, the United Filipino Global International thanked the president for his concern over them.

“The SONA speech of the president, I think we are very happy kasi alam naman po namin ang kaniyang intention. Ang kaniyang speech ay para talaga tumulong nang totoo na walang halong pamumulitiko,” said Gemma Sotto, chairperson of United Filipino Global International. — (from the report of Asher Cadapan, Jr.) /mbmf

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) on Tuesday, July 28, said it is looking forward to the planned modernization of the agency as mentioned by President Rodrigo Duterte in his 5^th State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

In a phone interview, BFP Director Jose Embang, Jr admitted that the agency is now being left behind as compared with the other fire departments in other countries.

Embang said that what they need to be on par with other countries in meeting and maintaining international standards is additional personnel, as well as equipment, training, and salary increase.

He said what the President mentioned in his SONA will be a great help to the agency.

“Ngayon lang nagkaroon, nabanggit ng isang Pangulo na dalawang beses ang modernization ng Bureau of Fire since last year, nabanggit n’ya na ‘yan, tapos ngayong nabanggit na naman n’ya. Given by the fact siguro na s’ya ay naging mayor sa Davao ng ilang dekada at nakita n’ya ang importance ng isang fire department sa isang bayan,” Embang said.

He added that the agency has only around 29,000 personnel nationwide and what they need is double that number.

He said that to be able to recruit the additional 30,000 personnel, they have to offer a more competitive salary.

He explained that more than being firefighters, the BFP is also among the first to respond to rescue operations during disasters and emergencies.

“Ini-ensure n’ya na ang lahat ng tao na nakatira sa mga establishment ay safe from destructive fires, isa lang ‘yun, prevention,” he said.

The BFP is also a support group to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in national emergencies and in fighting terrorism.

“Sini-secure n’ya ‘yung mga taong affected ng isang emergency bago ‘yung investigation, bago dumating ‘yung iba-ibang mga unit,” Embang said.

To perform these things, Embang said, the BFP would need equipment such as additional fire trucks, ladders, platforms, ambulances, rescue trucks, and hazardous materials trucks.

“Importanteng-importante po ‘yang hazardous materials truck, kasi ‘yan po ‘yung nagre responde sa mga chemical spill, sa mga bio kagaya ng COVID, sa mga radiological incident, ‘yan po ‘yung hazardous materials na tinatawag,” the BFP official further explained.

The agency is also planning to procure choppers to be used in transporting victims from high-rise buildings or forest fires, as well as rescue boats, and drones. — (from the report of Lea Ylagan) /mbmf