Public utility jeepneys now allowed in 13 areas amid COVID-19 crisis

Public utility jeepneys (PUJs) can now operate in at least 12 areas in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. said Monday.

Roque made the announcement on the same day that 980 units of UV Express were allowed to ply the streets again in the National Capital Region for the first time since a lockdown was imposed in mid-March to prevent COVID-19 transmission.

The areas where PUJs were allowed to ply the streets again are:

• Bulacan
• Pampanga
• Cagayan de Oro
• South Cotabato
• Siquijor
• Region 1 (Ilocos Region)
• Region 6 (Western Visayas)
• Region 8 (Eastern Visayas)
• Region 10 (Northern Mindanao)
• Region 11 (Davao Region)
• Region 12 (Soccsksargen)
• Region 13 (Caraga)

The NCR, home to around 13 million residents and the center of the country’s economic activity, is not yet included on the last.

While PUJs are not yet allowed in NCR, the government has launched three additional mini-loop bus rides along EDSA to boost mass transport service amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

These three mini-loop routes include:

• Monumento, Caloocan City to Quezon Avenue in Quezon City
• PITX in Pasay to Ayala in Makati
• Timog in Quezon City to Santolan in San Juan City

Roque assured that PUJs which are roadworthy will be allowed in the NCR by this week.

Quarantine protocols have been eased since June 1 to allow 75% of the workforce of each company to physically report back to work.

Mass transport, however, is only allowed to resume at 10 to 50%, and a hierarchy of public transport has been implemented which only initially allowed buses and modern public utility vehicles (PUVs) to ply the roads, making commuting to and from work extra difficult for workers. —KBK, GMA News