JUST three days after Metro Manila and 38 other areas eased to Alert Level 1, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday expressed concern over the overloading of public utility vehicles (PUVs), which it said might trigger a resurgence in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.
In a radio interview, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they are concerned over the sight of PUVs having passengers beyond their 100 percent capacity.
“One of the things that we are concerned of is our transport sector. It seems that we have gone back to the pre-pandemic state, where they go beyond 100 percent capacity in public transport,” Vergeire said.
Under Alert Level 1 guidelines, public transports such as public buses, jeepneys and trains, are already allowed to operate at 100 percent of capacity
Vergeire said that if the practice is not corrected, jampacked public transports could become super spreaders and “may cause transmission of the virus, thus result to a spike in cases.”
The health official called on transportation stakeholders to ensure compliance to the 100 percent passenger capacity.
“We call on our operators, local governments, and other government agencies to maintain 100 percent capacity. Do not go beyond 100 percent,” said Vergeire.
Since March 1, scenes of long lines of passengers and crowded PUVs have been reported in the National Capital Region (NCR). Television footages show jeepneys, buses, and trains being filled to passenger capacity, with people already closely standing next to each other.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) had earlier said that jeepneys and buses are prohibited to have standing passengers under Alert Level 1.
The independent OCTA Research yesterday said 12 out of 14 highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in the Visayas and Mindanao regions are currently at “low” risk classification from COVID-19.
OCTA data showed that as of March 2, only two HUCs in the Visayas and Mindanao areas are still at “moderate” risk from COVID-19.
“Bacolod, Cebu, Lapu Lapu, Mandaue, Ormoc, and Tacloban are at low risk, while Iloilo is at moderate risk,” said OCTA fellow Guido David in a social media post.
“Butuan, Cotabato, Davao, General Santos, lligan, and Zamboanga City are at low risk, while Cagayan de Oro remained at moderate risk,” he added.
For Iloilo City, Davis said its average daily attack rate (7.85), healthcare utilization rate (54%), and positivity rate (10%) are still at moderate risk, while its reproduction rate (0.42) is at very low risk.
For Cagayan de Oro City, OCTA said its positivity rate (12%) is still at high risk, average daily attack rate (2.67) at moderate risk, while its healthcare utilization rate (22%) and reproduction rate (0.38) are both at very low risk.
Cagayan de Oro City is under Alert Level 1 until March 15, while Iloilo City is under Alert Level 2.
PASSENGER CAP
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade yesterday said the Department of Transportation will gradually increase the international passenger arrival cap at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to 10,000 from the current 5,000.
“Two days ago, we hit 7,500 for inbound passengers at the NAIA. And we are expecting in the next couple of days it will be 10,000 passengers. Are we ready for the gradual increase from 5,000 to 10,000? The answer is yes,” Tugade said.
He said the DOTr is implementing “structural and procedural approaches” in so far as the aviation sector is concerned.
The government has imposed a 4,000 daily cap on inbound international passengers at NAIA and 600 passengers at the Mactan Cebu International Airport due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tugade said airline companies will also now be allowed to operate at 100 percent passenger capacity.
Tugade explained that while airline companies are allowed to operate at maximum capacity, universal and mandatory safe measures — from departure, inflight, and arrival — will remain in effect in all airport facilities and while onboard the aircraft.
The NAIA Terminal 4 will also resume its operations on March 28, 2022 with domestic travel posting an increase of over 150 percent from January to February 2022.
Tugade also said more arrivals and departures per day can now be expected with the newly inaugurated NAIA Taxiway Charlie, which upgraded the taxiway and increased slots from the previous 34 to 40 aircraft to 44 to 46 aircraft.
LOCAL TRAVEL
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said many people have already been traveling, especially to Baguio and Tagaytay cities, and doing local tours even when Metro Manila was still under Alert Level 2.
For the month of February, or when most areas of the country were under Alert 2, tourist destination Boracay Island has received 80,882 tourists compared with last year’s 103,834.
As the peak season nears, Puyat said travelers continue to book and are paying for their accommodation despite the oil hike.
While the minimum health and safety protocols are implemented, the most important thing is that “tourism workers must be vaccinated,” Puyat said, noting that 55 percent of hotel workers have been boosted.
Puyat said that while many establishments no longer require vaccination cards, the use of contract tracing apps and health declaration forms, on the other hand, will still depend on the local government units (LGUs).
“But it is now easier unlike before that there were delays in releasing QR codes,” mentioned Puyat who urged the unvaccinated individuals to get inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines so that they will have less restrictions and that their travels are easier and seamless.
Unvaccinated minors below five years old can enter indoor establishments if they are accompanied by fully vaccinated parents, adults, or guardians.
From February 10 to 28, the DOT has recorded 47,715 tourists, Puyat said. Of this number, 45 percent are balikbayans while 55 percent are foreign tourists who come from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South Korea, Australian, Viet Nam, and Germany.
According to Puyat, the tourism stakeholders, particularly hotels, are now rehiring their workers as tourists troop into destinations or stay at hotels which are fully booked already.
She noted to always check the travel requirements of the destination prior traveling. — With Myla Iglesias and Edison Gonzales
