Solon pushes for vaccination of PUV drivers, light rail personnel in NCR Plus

FILE – Traditional jeepney driver Michael Navarra ferries passengers to their respective destinations in Quezon City on Wednesday, July 29, as the LTFRB grants a go signal to 1,943 jeepneys to resume operations and ply 17 new routes in Metro Manila.-INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — A partylist lawmaker is pushing for the priority vaccination of all bus and jeepney drivers as well as Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) employees in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus area.

BHW Rep. Angelica Natasha Co made the suggestion after the NCR Plus area was placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) “with heightened restrictions.”

“For this GCQ with heightened restrictions in NCR+ to work, the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases) would be wise to adopt any or all of the following suggested measures—first, vaccinate in May and June all NCR+ bus drivers, jeepney drivers, and personnel at the MRT and LRT,” Co said in a statement.

“Vaccinate also all bus terminal personnel and frequently disinfect the NCR and provincial buses, as well as personnel at the seaports in Manila and Batangas,” she added.

Co likewise suggested that workplaces with personnel who are confirmed positive for COVID-19 must voluntarily lockdown for one to two days for disinfection or decontamination.

“Workplaces with COVID positive are strongly urged to please cooperate. If they refuse to cooperate, then the local mayor and the DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) should place that workplace under forced lockdown,” Co said.

Further, Co said the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) must deploy more ambulances to cities and towns without the need for requests from mayors.

According to the lawmaker, the decision to place Metro Manila under GCQ is “disappointing”, saying that the current situation in the NCR Plus region is is “much worse” than the scenario in May to July last year.

On Thursday night, the Palace said the NCR Plus area — which covers Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna—will be downgraded to GCQ starting May 15 until May 30.

/MUF