METRO Manila mayors have recommended a shift to the less stringent general community quarantine (GCQ) after May 31, but suggested that buses and public utility jeepneys remain suspended.
Jojo Garcia, general manager of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), said Wednesday, May 27, that local chief executives of the 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila agreed that social distancing protocols are hard to implement in buses and jeepneys.
"Ang hirap i-kontrol niyan. Lalo na ‘yung baba, sakay. 'Yung mga tao eh kung saan-saan na naman sasakay 'yan, hind mapa-practice 'yung physical distancing," he said.
"Hindi na pwede kahit saan papara, sasakay ka. Pagiging spoiled na pagpara mo, 3 hakbang, bahay mo na. Hindi na pwede iyan. Kailangan pumila ka na sa mga bus stop, jeepney stop kasi mayroon na tayong tinatawag na physical distancing na 1 meter ano," he added.
(That would be very hard to control, especially in the loading and unloading of passengers. The commuters would have to be more disciplined. Passengers have been spoiled such that they get off jeepneys right in front of their houses. That would no longer do.)
Rail transit systems, ride-hailing services, taxis, and tricycles are allowed under GCQ areas as these are easier to monitor.
“Pero iyon pong ating mga TNVS ( Transport Network Vehicle Service), taxi, tricycle, ayun po, okay na po ‘yon kasi kaya po nating i-monitor agad kung ilan ang laman niyan,” he said.
He added that shuttle services and point-to-point (P2P) buses are allowed to resume operations since these carry passengers straight to their destination.
"Madali din po i-monitor 'yan kasi 'yung P2P po hindi sila puwede magsakay at magbaba along the way," Garcia said.
Metro Manila, or the National Capital Region, is under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until May 31.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) is set to deliberate Wednesday on the quarantine status of various areas.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said President Rodrigo Duterte will decide on any changes in quarantine restrictions before Friday, May 29.
Other recommendations of Metro Manila mayors:
Mayors may still impose lockdown in certain areas particularly those with a high number of confirmed coronavirus cases.
Drivers of public and private vehicles will not be allowed to loiter or park anywhere they like
A modified coding scheme may be implemented, where a coding vehicle may still be used as long as it has more than one passenger aside from the driver.
Minimum health standards such as wearing of face masks and physical distancing should be strictly enforced.
Meanwhile, Año said under the GCQ, checkpoints manned by police and military will remain for the conduct of modified and random inspections to avoid traffic jams.
He said quarantine passes may no longer be vital.
“Sa GCQ ang binabantayan natin ng husto ditto ‘yung health standards. Pagsusuot ng mask, physical distancing, pagpapatupad ng mga establishments ng mga hand sanitation, paglalagay nila ng mga marka para sigurado hindi magtatabi tabi ‘yung mga tao, magkukumpol kumpol,” he said.
“At tinitingnan natin dito kung sino ‘yung mga authorized na magbukas na mga shop at mga establishment para sigurado na hindi muna, ‘yung mga entertainment industries hindi muna puwede yan,” he added.
Under the GCQ, non-essential but non-leisure businesses are allowed to fully resume operations. (With a report from Jove T. Moya/SunStar Philippines)