Nurse walks home from EDSA to Antipolo on first day of MECQ

Several Filipinos who returned to work on Monday were left with no choice but to walk for hours as mass transportation remained unavailable under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

According to a 24 Oras report by Bernadette Reyes, frontline worker Leonida Rosalinda struggled to catch a ride along Welcome Rotonda since her company’s shuttle was not available.

“May sira po ‘yung sasakyan na naghahatid sa’min. Sobrang hirap po kasi po ang layo na ta’s wala masyadong masakyan, unlike no’ng bago pa lang ‘yung ECQ, may mga Department of Transportation na bus… pero ngayon po madalang na po,” she said.

In a 24 Oras report by Emil Sumangil, nurse Christine Cerencio said she has been walking home to Antipolo all the way from EDSA after the trains were shut down.

“Dapat po kasi ‘di ba may libreng sakay ang mga frontliners, pero dito po kasi wala e. Dapat po laging may nakaabang dito. Wala po e, ilang beses na ko naglalakad,” she lamented.

According to another 24 Oras report by James Agustin, some construction workers started walking to work as early as dawn.

“Wala pa po gaanong sasakyan ngayon e. Wala pang mga jeep. Ang daming naghihintay do’n… Mahirap talaga,” Dondon Cabalquinto said.

“Wala pong masakyan. Kailangan pong makapagtrabaho, talagang wala nang kakainin,” Saldy Ramos added.

Senior citizen Bobby Rubio said he has decided to just go home on a weekly basis to save himself the hassle of walking to work.

“Mahirap talaga kung aaraw-arawin ‘yan,” he said.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez earlier told employers to provide their workers with accommodation and modes of transportation to the workplace amid the MECQ.

The Palace also said that workers cannot be blamed for choosing to stay home if their employers did not provide transportation services. 

In a 24 Oras report by Ian Cruz, a number of workers were spotted walking or biking along Commonwealth Avenue on the first workday under MECQ.

Among them was Daisy Lucero, who took her bike to work.

“Kailangan talaga na mag-hanapbuhay tulad niyan, kasi wala talagang nakuhang ayuda kasi nga raw pinipili lang talaga ‘yung binibigyan,” she said.

Francisco Victorio, meanwhile, walked along the busy avenue to get to his workplace in Makati City since his company was not able to provide them a shuttle.

“Mahirap po talaga. E siyempre, kung hindi tayo magtatrabaho, wala tayong kikitain. Dalawang buwan na po tayong stuck sa bahay,” he said. — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News