MRT, LRT passengers limited to 160 per train under GCQ – DOTr exec

MANILA, Philippines — A totl of only 160 passengers will be allowed in Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) train sets once Metro Manila transitions from an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to a general community quarantine (GCQ), an official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Friday.

“Para sa train, ang MRT at LRT po, ang maximum number of passengers per train set po is 160. That’s about mga 20 percent po ng total capacity niya,” Transportation Undersecretary for Administrative Service Artemio Tuazon Jr. said in an interview on GMA’s Unang Hirit.

(The maximum number of passengers per MRT and LRT train set is 160. That’s about 20 percent of the total capacity).

President Rodrigo Duterte extended the ECQ in Metro Manila and other high-risk areas until May 15 while a less stringent general community quarantine (GCQ) has been mandated in moderate to low risk provinces beginning Friday.

Under the GCQ, public transportation systems will be allowed, but with strict limitations.

“Sa ilalim ng GCQ, ang mga papayagang sasakyan ay depende sa pangangailangan po ng ating mananakay. May hierarchy po yung ating mga public utility vehicles na papayagan,” the transport official said.

(Under the GCQ, public utility vehicles would be allowed to operate depending on the needs of commuters. We will observe a hierarchy when we gradually allow the operations of public utility vehicles).

“Maguumpisa po tayo sa bus. Pagkatapos po no’n yung modernized jeep po natin,” he added.

(We will start with buses, followed by modernized jeepneys).

But should the surge of commuters overwhelm these modes of public transportation, other public utility vehicles would be permitted to ferry passengers, according to Tuazon.

“Kung ‘di pa rin po kakayanin ang numero o dami ng ating mananakay sa dalawang ito, papayagan na rin pong mag-operate yung mga ordinaryong jeeps natin,” he said.

(If the capacity of the buses and modernized jeepneys cannot meet the demand, we will allow ordinary jeepneys to operate).

If such measures still prove inadequate, transport network vehicle services (TNVS) and taxis would be allowed.

“After that po yung mga TNVS. At saka yung mga taxi. Sa mga areas po na papayagan po ng (local government unti), papayagan na rin po ang mga tricycle. Pero lahat din po ito ay dapat sumunod po sa social distancing,” Tuazon said.

(After that, the TNVS and taxis. In areas where the local government unit would allow, tricycles would be permitted to ferry passengers. But all of these should still operate subject to social distancing measures).

To date, Philippine health authorities have so far confirmed 8,488 COVID-19 cases in the country.

Five hundred sixty eight patients have died while 1,043 have recovered as of Thursday afternoon.

GSG