One of the most heartbreaking
side effects of the many health concerns, protocols and movement restrictions
that were implemented nationwide in the advent of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic
was the loss of jobs in lines of work that posed too much risk of infection and
spread. This is the sad story of the drivers and operators of the Philippines’
iconic public transport, the jeepney. Particularly in Metro Manila, despondent
and desperate drivers have petitioned government regulators to let them operate
before they and their families starve. Only in recent days have limited
jeepneys been allowed to ply their set routes. Now more of them will be rotated
into Manila’s streets.
CNN Philippines has it that effective this Wednesday, July 29, the
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is giving the
go-ahead for close to 2,000 jeepneys to once again operate in designated routes
around Metro Manila. An LTFRB memorandum circular (2020-029) dated Monday, July
27, announced that 1,943 public utility jeepneys will join the initial number
of vehicles that are now cleared to begin running passenger duties again
without having to bother with special permits. The aforementioned PUJs all
operate on 17 specific routes within the National Capital Region.
Any jeepney driver that plies one
of the reopened routes needs only to be issued a QR code for their vehicle from
the LTFRB. The printed codes must be posted visibly on their PUJs so that they
can be scanned by enforcers. Road worthiness registrations with the Land
Transportation Office (LTO) and validated personal passenger insurance policies
will also be required before each of those near-2,000 jeepneys will be allowed
to roll out. They will also have to follow the standing LTFRB fare matrix of P9
for the first four kilometers with an additional P1.50 for every extra
kilometer traveled.
The nightmare of prohibited
operation for many jeepney drivers since March 2020 began to end this month
with the LTFRB approval of an initial 2,000 followed by 6,000 PUJS being
allowed to travel Metro Manila once more as quarantine regulations began easing
up. These transports however musts till toe certain health and safety protocols
against COVID-19, from 50% carrying capacity to force social distancing, mandatory
wearing of facemask for drivers and their passengers, and a means of checking
body temperature. Outside of the capital, especially in MGCQ areas, jeepney,
e-jeep and multi-cab operations have not been as clamped down on, though the
same health protocols as elsewhere are carried out.
Image courtesy of GMA News
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