MEDICAL frontliners and workers of permitted industries will be given priority accommodation in provincial buses that have been allowed to resume limited operations to and from Metro Manila starting yesterday, Joint Task Force COVID Shield chief Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said.
“The resumption of operations of provincial buses was allowed purposely to make the transportation of medical frontliners and workers of permitted industries, who are living outside Metro Manila but are working in the NCR (National Capital Region), convenient and easier,” said Eleazar, who is also the PNP’s deputy chief for administration.
Eleazar said there is no need for health workers and workers of permitted industries to secure a travel pass if their trips are work-related, adding that they only need to present their company identification cards (IDs) and certificates of employment before boarding the buses.
“We would like to remind the bus companies that all that medical frontliners and workers of industries that were given clearance to operate only have to present valid identification cards or certificate of employment proving that their travel is work-related,” he said.
However, if the travel is for personal purposes, Eleazar said they need to get a travel pass from the police station in the city or municipality where they reside.
Eleazar said the travel authority or travel pass is generally for locally-stranded individuals or unauthorized persons outside residence only.
Eleazar made the clarification as 286 of 1,445 registered buses rolled out of their garages, six months after they were all grounded as a strategic measure to control the spread of the coronavirus.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has allowed a limited number of provincial buses to ply 12 modified routes going to Metro Manila from Pampanga, Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna to starting September 30 as part of government efforts to gradually re-open the economy.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has initially approved 12 provincial bus routes in Central Luzon and CALABARZON, which includes: San Fernando, Pampanga — Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City; Batangas City — Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITx); Lemery, Batangas — PITx; Lipa City, Batangas — PITx; Nasugbu, Batangas — PITx; Indang, Cavite — PITx; Mendez, Cavite — PITx; Tagaytay City, Cavite — PITx; Ternate, Cavite — PITx; Calamba City, Laguna — PITx; Siniloan, Laguna — PITx; and Sta. Cruz, Laguna — PITx.
All provincial buses are prohibited from picking up passengers outside of terminals. On the other hand, passengers are not allowed to eat, drink and talk or take phone calls while inside the bus.
All bus passengers are mandated to wear a face mask and face shield while inside the bus and to observe physical distancing.
“They are considered as the backbone of our economy and our response against the spread of the coronavirus disease in these trying times,” said Eleazar of the medical frontliners and essential workers.
