Economy can’t reopen sans mass transport – think tank

MANILA, Philippines — The lack of a sufficient mass transportation defeats the purpose of slowly opening up the economy since productivity suffers when employees struggle to go to work, a private think tank said.

The Action for Economic Reform (AER) called out the government on Saturday for its decision to reopen the economy without reopening mass transportation, leaving thousands of workers competing for the few available rides, or walking for hours to get to work so they would not lose their jobs.

“To say that this is inhumane is an understatement. It is most insensitive on the part of the IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force] to reopen some parts of the economy without the adequate, safe and accessible transportation system that workers need,” AER said.

“In the end, the lack of a safe public transport system, arising from the incompetence and insensitivity of the authorities, scuttles the very objectives of gradually opening the economy,” the think tank said.

The lockdown in Metro Manila and other areas had eased under a general community quarantine (GCQ). The first week under GCQ mirrored the first days of the lockdown, when the government also banned public transportation but told essential workers to keep working.

Walk for long hours

The difference, however, was that significantly, more workers were now commuting. Essential workers, including nurses, had to walk long hours to work because of the lack of transportation.

“Economic activities and productivity suffer as workers struggle to get transportation, and their health are endangered because of their unnecessary exposure to crowding,” AER said.

Founded in 1996, AER conducts independent, reform-oriented policy analysis and advocacy on key economic issues.

AER also called out Jose Garcia Jr., the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) general manager, who blamed commuters for the snafu, and said they were focusing on traveling when the first priority should be health and safety.

“The MMDA leader seems ignorant that the pandemic has made it a lot difficult for people to even find means to feed their families,” AER said.

AER said both the IATF and the MMDA should immediately allow mass transportation “that conforms to the highest health and safety standard to operate.”

AER said the government should contract jeepneys and buses, so that drivers and operators who comply with health standards could be financially supported.

Efficient, safe rides

“In this system, cutthroat competition is eliminated, transport workers receive wages and benefits and do not have to work long hours, and commuters get good service through efficient and safe rides,” AER said.

As this developed, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) called on the government to immediately resolve the difficult transportation situation.

“The commission calls on the government to ensure the operation of a sufficient number of public transportation so both commuters and transport workers may be able to comply with the physical distancing policy,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said.

—With a report from Patricia Denise M. Chiu