Philippines suspends mass, public transport in Luzon over COVID-19

Mass and public transportation will be suspended starting midnight of March 17 in connection with the enhanced community quarantine over Luzon that the Philippine government declared on Monday.

According to the memorandum by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea read by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on national TV, land, air and sea travel shall be restricted.

Mass public transport shall be suspended.  This includes the MRT3, LRT1, LRT2 and Philippine National Railways.

Public utility buses, jeepney, tricycles and vehicles under transport network services will not be allowed to ply their streets.

Land, air and sea travel shall be restricted, the memorandum said.

Outbound passengers departing the country from any of the international airports in Luzon shall be allowed to travel for a period of 72 hours from effectivity of the enhanced community quarantine.

Inbound international passengers, in transit upon effectivity of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, shall be allowed entry, subject to applicable quarantine procedures if coming from countries with existing travel restrictions imposed by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), the memorandum added.

All inbound Filipino citizens including their foreign spouse and children, if any, holders of Permanent Resident Visa, and holders of 9(e) Diplomat Visas issued by the Philippine government shall be allowed entry, subject to applicable quarantine procedures if coming from countries with existing travel restrictions imposed by the IATF.

The movement of cargoes within, to and from the entire Luzon shall be unhampered. Guidelines for the accompanying crew or personnel of transiting cargoes shall be formulated by the Department of Transportation, according to the memorandum.

Land, air and sea travel of uniformed personnel for official business, especially those transporting medical supplies, laboratory specimens related to the COVID-19, and other humanitarian assistance, shall also be allowed.

"The general rule is for people to stay home," Nograles said.

“‘Yung basic necessities… those will continue to operate, so therefore you may go to them. If there’s not public transportation then private [vehicle] or you’ll have to walk,” Nograles added.—NB/LDF, GMA News