DOTr: Metro Manila’s rail system to resume partial operations June 1

MANILA, Philippines — All rail operations will resume partial operations on June 1 as Metro Manila transitions to a less stringent general community quarantine (GCQ), Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said Thursday night.

“Namarkahan na ‘yong bawat upuan, bawat handrail, ticket booth, queuing, nakahanda na ho ito,” Tugade said in a meeting with President Duterte and other Cabinet members.

(All seats were marked, every handrail, ticket booth, queuing, everything is ready.)

“‘Handa po kami sa Lunes bagamat sasabihin kong huwag i-expect ang operation ay 100 percent.”

(We are prepared for Monday but I can tell you, do not expect a 100 percent [full] operation.)

Tugade made the announced as Duterte approved the proposal of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to impose GCQ in the National Capital Region (NCR) beginning next month even as COVID-19 cases in the country continue to rise.

The Transportation chief noted that the LRT and MRT trains will carry 10 to 12 percent of their passenger capacity per trip, while the Philippine National Railways’ trains will ferry 35 percent of their passenger capacity.

JPV