WITH almost everybody mobilizing against the threat of the infectious 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease, or 2019-nCoV ARD, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) had to jump on the bandwagon to protect the citizens of this archipelago by requiring drivers and conductors of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to don masks.
The agency even imposed a hefty penalty of P5,000 for violators just to ensure compliance.
It also required PUV operators to equip their vehicles with hand sanitizers for passengers’ use.
The memorandum circular, which was issued by the LTFRB Central Office, will remain in effect until health officials declare the country safe from the 2019-nCoV ARD.
“We’ll just wait for the advice from the Department of Health (DOH) on how long they are required to wear protective masks while on duty,” said LTFRB Central Visayas Director Eduardo Montealto Jr.
Oddly enough, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said there was no need yet to compel the public to wear masks despite the confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV ARD in the country.
Duque, who made the announcement on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, said “protective masks are recommended for people with cough, cold and flu to prevent them from passing the infection to others, as well as for health workers directly dealing with patients.”
He used the word “recommend,” which, according to dictionary.cambridge.org, means “to suggest that someone or something that would be good or suitable for a particular job or purpose, or to suggest that a particular action should be done.”
So what is Montealto talking about?
World Health Organization country representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe, in a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 4, also reminded the public that the use of masks is not recommended.
“People who are having respiratory symptoms or who are in crowded places could be wearing those masks. But it would be preferable to reserve those masks for high-risk individuals and health workers,” he said.
That same day, the LTFRB 7 flagged down 10 PUV drivers for failing to wear masks during a random inspection along Gen. Maxilom Ave. in Cebu City.
So let me get this straight, the LTFRB is using, as basis, a non-existent DOH advisory to justifying the issuance of the directive and the apprehensions.
Go figure.