PNR still has low ridership amid limited face-to-face classes

The Philippine National Railways (PNR) has sustained its number of daily passengers despite the ease in COVID-19 restrictions and series of fuel price hikes, its spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV, PNR spokesperson Atty. Celeste Lauta said the daily passengers only increased from 13,000 to 18,000, which is lower compared to its capacity of up to 65,000 passengers.

“Hindi pa. Sustain pa din po tayo at 18,000 passengers. Tumaas naman po nang kaunti. Dati po 12,000, 13,000 ganyan," she said.

(The number of passengers has not spiked yet. It is still sustained at 18,000 passengers. The number increased slightly. Previously it was at 12,000 to 13,000)”

Lauta pointed out that the number of passengers did not spike because face-to-face classes have not fully resumed yet and most of their passengers are students.

The fare in PNR still ranges from P15 to P60, she said.

As of February 22, the Department of Education (DepEd) said a total of 6,145 public schools are ready for its progressive expansion phase of the limited face-to-face classes.

On March 11, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) allowed higher educational institutions to hold face-to-face classes using 100% of the classrooms' capacity in Alert Level 1 areas.—AOL,GMA News