The Office of Vice President Leni Robredo resumes its Free Shuttle Service for health workers and frontliners on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, as Metro Manila reverts into Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ). The initiative will run until August 18, to cover the 15-day MECQ period. PHOTO/Charlie Villegas, OVP
MANILA, Philippines — The free shuttle service initiated by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) makes a return on the first day of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) over Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna.
According to OVP, all eight routes from the previous shuttle service back in March and April when Metro Manila was under an enhanced community quarantine were retained, servicing people working for essential frontline services.
The shuttle service was revived after authorities announced that public transportation like railway systems, buses, transport network vehicle services, and taxis would suspend operations.
The resumption of the free shuttle service is made possible once again by OVP’s partners, UBE Express, Diamond Motor Corporation, Pilipinas Autogroup, Inc., and Seaoil, as well as the staff and volunteers. PHOTO/Charlie Villegas, OVP
“The Office of Vice President Leni Robredo has resumed its Free Shuttle Service for health workers and frontliners on Tuesday, August 4, 2020, as Metro Manila reverts into [MECQ],” OVP said.
“The initiative will run until August 18, to cover the 15-day MECQ period. It serves the same eight routes from its first run from March to April,” they added.
PHOTO/Charlie Villegas, OVP
On Sunday, President Rodrigo Duterte placed the said areas under an MECQ amid COVID-19 cases in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces. The MECQ, tagged as a response to health workers’ call for a break, will run from August 4 to August 18.
As of now, the Philippines has 112,593 confirmed COVID-19 cases after the Department of Health (DOH) reported an additional 6,352 infections on Tuesday — the highest single-day jump in the number of cases. [ac]