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Workers allot 4 hours for commute under the new normal


To get to work, some commuters allot as much as four hours every day to walk, line up either at the Light Rail Transit (LRT) or the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) stations and hop on the available bus.

This is the daily hardship workers have to deal with under the so-called new normal, which allows only few public vehicles on the road and with limited capacity due to physical distancing.

A long line of commuters was seen at LRT2 Recto Station as early as 4 a.m., some hardly observing social distancing, according to Darlene Cay’s report on “24 Oras.”

Jessa Padua, a nurse, lined up before sunrise to avoid the queues.

“(Maaga ako) para makahabol sa LRT kasi mamaya po mahaba na ang pila,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Rakia, a construction worker, was also among the early birds in the line, arriving at 4 a.m. even if his work starts at 7 a.m.

“Noong wala pang quarantine, bus ang sinasakyan ko pero ngayon wala ng bus eh. MRT at tsaka LRT sasakyan ko,” he said.

“Mahaba , mahirap. Dati kasi bus sinasakyan ko papuntang Boni ‘yong diretso ngayon kasi hanggang Timog na lang kasi galing ako San Jose del Monte,” Carol Dimailit, another commuter, added.

The LRT and MRT resumed operations on June 1 when Metro Manila was placed under general community quarantine, using only 10 to 12% of their capacity  to ensure social distancing.

Aside from the trains, bus augmentation units were also available to ferry commuters but due to strict physical distancing, only limited passengers were allowed on board. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News

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