The Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced that the plastic barriers that separate passengers inside public utility vehicles (PUVs) are no longer required.
Photo credits: PNA |
“Drivers and operators can already remove them because there are no medical findings, based on our studies, that they can prevent the spread of COVID-19. Instead, the virus could stick to them,” said Assistant Transportation Secretary for road transport Mark Steven Pastor in a press conference, as reported by Inquirer.net.
However, the department said that health safety measures would still be strictly implemented in all public transport.
The DOTr also said that the capacity of mass transportation will be increased to 70% starting November 4 and will cover Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna. This is after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved DOTr’s recommendation to increase seating capacity on public transportation.
The department also mentioned that increasing seating capacity is a big help to drivers and operators to increase their revenues again. For traditional and modern jeepneys, drivers will be allowed to add 4-5 passengers, while for buses standing passengers will be allowed as well.
Sources: DOTr, Inquirer.net, PNA
i think its quite like removing barriers on dine-ins. is it?