MANILA, Philippines — Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Monday called for an increase of up to 70 percent in the capacity of public transportation as the government allowed businesses in several industries to operate with their full workforce.
“Gusto man ng worker pumunta e wala naman masakyan,” Bello said in an interview over Teleradyo.
(Even if a worker wants to go to his/her workplace, it would not be possible because of the lack of public transportation.)
“Ang aming hinihiling, medyo i-increase naman yung ridership kahit man lang hanggang 70 percent,” he added.
(We hope that the ridership can be increased to up to 70 percent.)
Earlier, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) allowed several businesses under general community quarantine (GCQ) to operate at 100 percent capacity as the government further reopens the pandemic-hit economy.
“Ang laking bagay niyan sa mga mangaggawa. Sinusuportahan ko po ‘yan kasi kawawa naman yung ating mga workers, ilang buwan na silang walang trabaho,” the labor secretary further said.
(That helps out our workers a lot. I support that because our workers have been rendered jobless for months now.)
“Kung minsan may trabaho pero di naman makapasok dahil walang sasakyan,” he added.
(Meanwhile some do have jobs but have no way of going to their work.)
In September, easing restrictions in public transportation became the center of debate among Cabinet officials until President Rodrigo Duterte decided to retain the one-meter physical distance rule in public vehicles.
The Philippines’ COVID-19 caseload reached 322,497 on Sunday, with 273,079 recoveries and 5,776 deaths.