Gamboa urges police units to offer rides amid GCQ in NCR

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday called on all police units to offer rides to the public amid the limited mass transportation available under the general community quarantine in Metro Manila.

At a press briefing, PNP chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa said the PNP headquarters has a limited number of trucks but he noted that the police organization's "Libreng Sakay" program for commuters will continue.

"Actually limited kasi 'yung ating number of trucks... I think we have regular travels from Bacoor, Cavite and from Navotas on a daily basis... We have encouraged our lower units to do so also... I think NCR is also doing it and different police stations na mayroon silang sasakyan," Gamboa said.

"Alam naman natin na under GCQ, a certain portion of mass transportation is allowed so we expect also na mayroon na ring masakyan 'yung mga tao but of course limited pa rin," he added.

"Hanggang ngayon tuloy pa rin 'yung aming Libreng Sakay."

Earlier reports said commuters have struggled to go to their respective places of work in Metro Manila due to the limited public transportation allowed to operate by the government.

No passenger buses and public utility jeepneys were allowed to resume their operations. Only trains and bus augmentation, taxis, transport network vehicle services, shuttle services, point-to-point buses, and bicycles are allowed to ferry commuters from June 1 to 21.

In the second phase, which will be from June 22 to 30, the government will allow public utility buses, modern public utility vehicles (PUVs) or jeepneys, and UV Express vehicles.

Aside from lack of transportation, heavy traffic also greeted commuters on the first day of GCQ in Metro Manila. --KBK, GMA News