THERE has been an increase in bus travels going in and out of Davao City following the easing of travel restrictions, an official from the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (Dcott) said.
"Na-observe nato nga sukad naluag-luagan atong mga requirements, nagkadaghan na ang mga bus nga naga-byahe ug medyo nagka-increase ang mga pasahero nga gasakay sa atong Dcott terminal (We have observed that there has been an increase in activity at the Dcott terminal since the travel protocols were eased)," Dcott head Aisa Usop said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio on Wednesday, March 18.
Based on their recent monitoring, Usop said an average of 400 to 500 bus trips are recorded daily.
Due to the increasing demand for bus trips, a rural bus company in Butuan appealed to the Dcott management to allow them to have their last bus trip by 9 p.m.
Usop said there is no problem since the city's 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew exempts interregional public transportation.
Some bus companies, she said, are also requesting the 24-hour operation of the bus terminal.
But the official said she would still have to raise the matter with the city government.
As of now, she said Dcott's operation hours still revolves around the city's curfew, wherein the first trip is at 4 a.m. while the last trip is at 7 p.m.
Usop also said that with the larger demand for buses, the trip interval was reduced to 30 minutes from the current 45 minute to one-hour interval.
Currently, she said there are already bus trips outside the region to Butuan, Cotabato, and Cagayan de Oro.
Despite the increase in demand for bus trips, she said buses can only cater 50-percent of their full capacity to ensure physical distancing.
"Despite nga medyo naluag-luagan atoang requirements, atoang health protocols atong gina-implement sa atong Dcott terminal, and sa atong buses (Despite the ease of travel requirements, we continue to implement health protocols within Dcott terminal and our buses)," she said.
Usop said the reports they have received, some local government units are no longer strict in required travel documents.
"Wala na kaayo sila nagapangita og medical certificate, and authority to travel. In fact, ang ilang ginapresent nalang karon is ang ilang (They no longer ask for a medical certificate and travel authority document. In fact, all they ask is to present their) identification card," the Dcott official said, adding that they are just giving passengers a travel"manifesto, a contact tracing form asking for some personal information and travel destination.
She added some LGUs are no longer strict in requiring passengers to secure QR codes.
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on February 26, issued Resolution No. 101 to standardize travel protocols for land, air, and sea.
According to the order, travelers will no longer be mandated to undergo a Covid-19 test except when required by the local government unit (LGU) of their destination,
No traveler will be required to undergo quarantine unless he or she manifests symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) upon arrival.
The IATF also removed the documentary requirements for travelers. Also, there will no longer be a need for a travel authority from the Joint Task Force Covid Shield.
Health certificates will also no longer be required.
Authorized persons outside residence (Apor) from national government agencies and their attached agencies need only present their identification card, travel order, and travel itinerary.
They must also pass a screening for symptoms at ports of entry and exit.
If an LGU will still require a Covid-19 test, this will be limited to the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the resolution also stated. (RGL)