OVP's free shuttle for healthcare workers to resume ops in eight routes

The Office of the Vice President has reactivated its free shuttle for health workers initiative as the National Capital Region and three other areas will be once again under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

In a statement, Vice President Robredo said the routes, which will ply the roads vice versa, include:

• Chinese General Hospital in Manila to Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Alabang
• Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City to Heritage Hotel in Pasay City
• Amang Rodriguez hospital in Rizal to SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City
• MCU Hospital in Caloocan City to Double Dragon Plaza in Macapagal Avenue, Pasay City
• SM Fairview in Quezon City to Lawton LRT in Manila
• Balintawak LRT in Quezon City to Heritage Hotel in Pasay City
• Philippine General Hospital in Manila to SM Masinag
• Dr. Jose Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan City to Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City

Each route will have designated stops at hospitals or landmarks near the hospitals’ location.

“We’re bringing back our shuttle services for NCR starting tomorrow, August 4, until August 18,” Robredo said.

“Like before, we will endeavor to be faithful to the designated times. Any delay will be posted on our official Facebook page,” she added.

President Rodrigo Duterte has placed the NCR and the provinces of Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, and Rizal back under MECQ from August 4 to August 18 following appeals from the health sector to enforce a stricter quarantine due to the rapid increase of COVID-19 infections.

Under the MECQ protocol, mass transport and non-essential work are prohibited.

The Philippines has recorded 103,185 COVID-19 cases thus far. Of this number, 65,557 have recovered while 2,059 had died. —Llanesca T. Panti/KBK, GMA News