MANILA, Philippines — Almost 27,000 taxi units have been granted special permits to operate while 25 city bus routes and 28 point-to-point bus routes were opened to transport commuters in Metro Manila during the general community quarantine period, Department of Transportation Undersecretary Mark De Leon announced Tuesday.
During the online hearing of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development, De Leon said they are planning to open up to 31 city bus routes in the nation’s capital region.
De Leon, however, did not provide further information on the granting of special permits for taxis.
“The road sector has already opened at least 25 bus routes during this GCQ period and among these routes na nabanggit natin na 25, ang plano talaga dyan ay 31 bus routes,” De Leon told lawmakers.
(The road sector has already opened at least 25 bus routes during this GCQ period and among these routes that we mentioned, our eventual plan is to open 31 bus routes.)
De Leon said that the transportation department “quantified and estimated” the demand for public transportation.
Establishments are also urged to offer shuttle services for their employees, said De Leon.
De Leon likewise noted that they still intend to push through with the plan to have intermodal terminals but this still needs the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).
“‘Yung plano for the intermodal terminals, itutuloy din po natin yan. ‘Yung ating plano for the intermodal terminals kapag pinayagan na po ng Inter-Agency Task Force yung byahe ng mga provincial buses,” De Leon said.
(We will still push through with our plan to open intermodal terminals. This can be done once the IATF allows provincial bus trips.)
“Right now, hindi pa ‘yan pinapayagan dahil nga po yung restriction natin dito sa Metro Manila na tayo ay still on GCQ,” he added.
(But right now, this is still not allowed because Metro Manila is still under GCQ.)
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night extended the GCQ period in Metro Manila and several other areas to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019.