City of Manila lending e-tricycles to district hospitals, health frontliners

MANILA, Philippines – The City of Manila is lending e-tricycles assigned to the offices of city councilorsto the city’s district hospitals and employees of the Manila Health Department, Vice Mayor Honey Lacuña-Pangan on Tuesday.

The national government earlier suspended public transportation services in Luzon following the implementation of an enhanced community quarantine in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

READ: Mass transport suspended all over Luzon under enhanced quarantine

“The councilors have already been instructed to lend their e-trikes to the city’s six district hospitals and the Manila Health Department for their employees,” Lacuña-Pangan said in a statement forwarded by the Manila City Public Information Office.

She said the local government is also looking for a place near the hospitals where health workers will be accommodated if the health facilities could not house them.

“Pero naglagay na ng provisions ang ating mga hospitals ng possible areas inside their hospitals dun sa mga hindi na makakauwi (But the hospitals have also provided possible areas inside the facilities where those who cannot go home may stay),” she added.

In the case of city hall employees, Manila City Personnel Office chief Jo Quintos also said that those living in distant communities  and whose services are not immediately needed, as well as those who avail of public transportation, may not report for work.

“City personnel assigned to the skeletal workforce shall be given non-monetary incentives such as but not limited to compensatory day-off when the situation normalizes,” Quintos added.

GSG