Workers without travel authority can still take provincial bus trips –Eleazar

Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said Wednesday that workers do not need to secure a travel authority to take provincial bus trips.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Eleazar said, instead of a travel pass, workers only need to present an ID and certificate of employment especially when the trip is work-related.

"Kung kayo po ay workers na permitted in the street hindi niyo kailangan ng travel authority," he said.

Eleazar noted that only individuals who are not considered as authorized persons outside residence (APOR) are required to present a travel authority for provincial bus trips.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has opened 12 modified provincial bus routes to and from Metro Manila and Regions 3 and 4-A with 286 bus units since Monday.

Provincial buses are allowed to operate in Batangas City, Lemery, Lipa City, and Nasugbu in Batangas; Indang, Mendez, Tagaytay, and Ternate in Cavite; as well as Calamba City, Siniloan, and Sta. Cruz in Laguna.

On the morning of the first day of the opening of new provincial bus routes on Wednesday, no bus was seen at the Parañaque Integrated Transport Exchange (PITX).

Executive Director Provincial Bus Operators of the Philippines executive director Alex Yague said that only few buses will ply the newly opened routes on Wednesday morning.

“Mino-monitor pa namin. Ang nakita namin, mukhang kakaunti pa ‘yung mga bibiyahe ngayong umaga, pati ‘yung pasahero,” Yague said.

“Kasi may requirement na kailangan may 48 hours na booking, pre-booking kaya medyo naguguluhan siguro ‘yung ating mga pasahero ngayong umaga,” he added. —LBG, GMA News