DILG enforces one-passenger policy for tricycles during ECQ; use of old IATF IDs allowed

Motorcycle and tricycle drivers receive Sinovac vaccine at the Vaccine Express, a drive thru inoculation program by the Office of the Vice President and the City government of Manila at the CCP complex in Malate, Manila on Wednedsay, June 23, 2021. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — Tricycles may still operate with a one-passenger limit, and identification cards issued by the COVID-19 task force will still be honored by authorities during the two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) over Metro Manila, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Monday.

DILG spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said public transportation will still be allowed during the ECQ to allow frontliners to go to work and residents to proceed to COVID-19 vaccination sites.

“Kahit po yung mga tricycle ay allowed din po to operate during the lockdown. Ngunit isang tao lamang ang pwede nilang isakay,” Malaya said in an interview with Teleradyo.

(Even tricycles are allowed to operate during the lockdown. But only one passenger is allowed.)

“So ginawa po natin ito dahil ayaw nga po natin maglakad yung mga health workers natin… Kailangan po makagalaw ang mga tao para makapunta sa mga bakunahan that is why we are maintaining the level of public transportation now,” he added.

(We did this because we don’t want our health workers to walk to work. Mobility is also needed to go to vaccination sites that is why we are maintaining the level of public transportation now.)

Amid border controls, Malaya said old IDs issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases will still be honored by authorities.

“Yung dati pong mga tumanggap ng mga IATF IDs, tatanggapin pa rin po yan. Kahit may nakalagay na expired na sa likod ay magagamit at magagamit niyo pa rin yan,” Malaya said.

(Those who received an IATF ID before, will still be honored. Even if the date at the back says it’s already expired, you can still use that.)

Malaya added authorized persons outside residence (APOR) or those in the workforce may also use their company IDs or a certificate of employment in checkpoints.

Metro Manila’s status will escalate to ECQ starting this Friday, August 6 until August 20 to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant.

EDV