100 policemen to maintain order at LRT, MRT under ‘new normal’

MANILA, Philippines —The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will assign an additional 100 police officers to ensure quarantine protocols are strictly implemented once the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2 and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 resume operations with the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas said the deployment of 100 Mobile Force Battalion (MFB) personnel was agreed upon during a meeting on Saturday.

All geared up

The MFB policemen who would be in full gear would ensure that physical distancing would be observed in train stations and passenger platforms.

Unless the national government orders a further extension of the ECQ after May 15, Metro Manila will be under the more relaxed general community quarantine. Public utility vehicles will be allowed to operate again although with the enforcement of physical distancing, there will be a limit on the number of passengers.

According to the Department of Transportation, the LRT1, LRT2 and MRT3 will be running at only 12 percent, 10 percent and 13 percent, respectively, of their capacity.