Tricycles to resume operations in Quezon City under MECQ

MANILA, Philippines — After two months of no operations, tricycles will be allowed to be back on the road in Quezon City, which will be under the less strict modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) beginning Saturday, May 16.

Based on the MECQ guidelines released Friday by the local government, tricycles will be the only allowed mode of public transportation.

But in order to operate, tricycle drivers must follow these rules:

1. Only one passenger is allowed.
2. No back-ride policy is strictly enforced.
3. A transparent barrier between the motorcycle and the sidecar must be provided
4. Drivers must observe other precautionary measures such as sanitizing, wearing face masks, gloves, etc.
5. Regular disinfection and sanitation of the tricycle unit must be observed.

The Quezon City government likewise encouraged tricycle drivers to first have themselves tested for the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, at any of its community-based testing centers.

The local government also said that it may consider adjusting the fare matrix for tricycles for this MECQ period.

Previously, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases banned any mode of public transportation as an enhanced community quarantine was imposed across Luzon to curb the spread of the virus.

But starting May 16, most parts of Luzon will be out the ECQ and only Metro Manila, Laguna, and Cebu City would be placed under MECQ until May 31 since these three areas are still considered “high-risk” for COVID-19 transmission.

To date, the Philippines has 12,091 people infected with COVID-19. Of the number, 806 have died while 2,460 recovered.

KGA