Public transpo exempted from curfew, DOTr says

Public transport will be exempted from the curfew to take place under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in NCR Plus this week, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Sunday.

In a virtual briefing, Transportation Assistant Secretary Steve Mark Pastor said public transportation will not be covered by the 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. curfew in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan from March 29 to April 4.

"Ang atin pong public transportation, partikular po ating roadways transportation natin, ay exempted po sa curfew. 24/7 po ang ating operations," he told reporters.

[Our public transportation, particularly our roadways transportation, is exempted from the curfew. Our operations are 24/7.]

"That's very clear. Our public transportation is exempted from the curfew," Transportation Assistant Secretary Goddes Libiran added in a mix of English and Filipino.

In the same briefing, Transportation Undersecretary for Administrative Service Artemio "Ochie" Tuazon said commuters will have to present identification cards to prove that they are authorized persons outside of residence (APOR).

"Whatever APOR category you are in, you will need to present that ID," he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Metro Manila and nearby provinces—collectively tagged as NCR Plus—will be under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) starting midnight March 29 until Sunday, April 4, 2021. No guidance has been given what follows.

Prior to the announcement of the ECQ, the government banned the non-essential entry and exit into the NCR Plus bubble during the same period. — BM, GMA News