Gov’t addressing transportation problems amid Luzon-wide quarantine — Palace

Malacañang on Tuesday said the government is addressing the plight of workers exempted from the travel restrictions imposed by the government in Luzon to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Medical and non-medical hospital workers, as well as those in the vital services sector, are exempted from the travel restrictions under the enhanced community quarantine but getting to work remains a challenge as the operations of mass public transportation, particularly in Metro Manila, have been suspended.

In response, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has instructed the military to bring out their army trucks to ferry those who are stranded, particularly health workers and other individuals exempted from the ban, to their places of work and their homes after work.

Panelo also said Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Danilo Lim has already coordinated with different bus companies, especially Wescapboa, a transport cooperative, and the West Cavite Philippine Bus Operators Association, as well as the Jasper Jean Bus Liner.

“They have started to send out their buses after marking the same with the official logo of the MMDA to put law enforcement agents on notice of their purpose of free public service in favor of those exempted from home quarantine,” he said.

AVIS Philippines has offered to transport to the airport the outbound passengers and inbound passengers to their respective homes before the government closes all international airports in Luzon later this week, Panelo said.

He said AVIS Philippines is now coordinating with the MMDA and the Philippine National Police on the matter.

“The Palace will continue to assess the evolving health crisis to give the appropriate response to any problematic situation during this period even as we assure everyone that the consequent inconvenience arising from this government undertaking is minuscule and temporary as against the end result of securing our safety and survival from the dreaded COVID-19,” Panelo said. — RSJ, GMA News