Quezon-Laguna bus trips resume

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS Provincial bus terminals in Metro Manila, including the depot at Araneta Center in Quezon City, remain quiet as regular trips from the regions have yet to resume while travel restrictions are up due to the COVID-19 pandemic. —RICHARD A. REYES

LUCENA CITY—Two bus companies were allowed to resume their regular trips from this provincial capital of Quezon to Biñan City in Laguna province starting Feb. 8, nearly a year after their operations were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Roderick Alcala gave the go-signal to Lucena Lines Inc. and JAC Liner to ply their routes anew but subject to strict health and safety protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Arnel Avila, city public information officer, said on Thursday.

The bus companies were required to set up foot baths and scan passengers’ body temperature before they could board the buses. Only passengers age 15 to 65 would be allowed, and they must fill out a contact tracing form.

“Their operations are still under observation. It will depend on the daily tally of COVID-19 cases in the city,” Avila said.

Operation of provincial buses in Luzon, many of them bringing passengers to and from Metro Manila, were suspended starting March last year when the pandemic broke out.

Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines has been asking the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to allow the resumption of trips, even selectively, as Metro Manila eased into general community quarantine.