‘Puno na lahat’: Metro workers brave lack of public transport, rains, on Day 1 of GCQ. Photo by Gabriel Pabico Lalu/ INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Additional bus routes were put in place by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Tuesday after hordes of returning employees were stranded on the road for lack of transportation system to bring their to their work places following the shift of Metro Manila to the general community quarantine (GCQ).
DOTR Secretary Arthur Tugade said in an interview over dzBB that after seeing the ordeal of stranded commuters, he ordered the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to open up two more routes on Tuesday to serve stranded passengers.
“In fact, kagabi nagpulong-pulong yung pamunuan ng LTFRB kasama ang DOTr kung san dahil sa ekspirensya kahapon, magbubukas ng 2 ruta antimano ngayong araw na ito… Eto yung rutang Angat, papuntang Quezon Avenue, at magbubukas din sa Dasmariñas to PITX (Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange,” he said
(Last night the LTFRB and DOTr had a meeting wherein after the experience yesterday, we will immediately open two routes today. These are the routes from Angat, Bulacan going to Quezon Avenue, and the other one from Dasmariñas, Cavite to PITX.)
Tugade also appealed to employers to just maintain just a skeleton force during the GCQ and offer free transportation to their workers.
“Kung magbukas kayo ng trabaho, mag-follow kayo ng skeletal force. Mag-observe ng working time at kung kaya ninyo magbigay kayo ng shuttle (If you will open workplaces, please maintain just a skeletal force and observe working time. And if you can, please give shuttle services),” he said.
Over the weekend, the transportation department announced that buses will be allowed to ply Edsa but will make only four stops at North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, Ayala Avenue and Taft Avenue.