THE Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team) have started issuing citations for disobedience to public utility vehicle drivers not following the one-seat-apart policy on Sunday, March 22, 2020.
Lawyer Ernesto Maringuran, Team head, said they have been going around public utility vehicle terminals to “strictly enforce the one-seat-apart policy.”
He said that last week the agency embarked on an information dissemination about how they will ensure social distancing on public transportation, adding that drivers not complying with it will not be allowed to ply the roads.
However, there were some drivers who observed the one-seat-apart policy while in the terminal and later picked up more passengers along the way.
“Adto sa terminal kontrolado na sila, pero inig dagan nila kay naa may mamara (The number of passengers can be controlled while the jeepneys are in the terminal, but commuters would hail them on the road),” said Maringuran.
Maringuran said it will be the driver’s decision whether to follow the policy or not and be issued a citation with a fine of P500 to P1,000 and face unloading of half of the passengers once caught.
“Most of the drivers comply, but there are some who don’t,” said Maringuran.
He assessed that on the first two days of implementation, 90 percent of the drivers observed the one-seat-apart policy.
“Kasagaran (violators) kay kanang rota nga mulabay ra ngari sa Mandaue (Most of the violators are those that just pass by Mandaue),” said Maringuran.
Meanwhile, the no-backride policy on motorcycles is also strictly implemented in Mandaue City.
There are no exceptions. Regardless if the back rider is an immediate family member, the Team personnel will apprehend the motorcycle driver. (KFD)