By Jonathan Hicap
The Muntinlupa City government has deployed buses to help commuters travel while jeepneys are still not allowed on the streets under the general community quarantine (GCQ).
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (2nd from left) discusses the deployment of city buses with (from left) Public Information chief Tez Navarro, Traffic Management head Danidon Nolasco and City Administrator Allan Cachuela. (Muntinlupa PIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Two city buses and one coaster will fetch passengers along the National Road from Barangay Tunasan to Barangay Alabang and vice versa from 5 a.m. to noon and from 1p.m. to 9 p.m. Passengers are required to wear face masks and observe physical distancing.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi inspected the city buses together with City Administrator Allan Cachuela and Traffic Management head Danidon Nolasco.
The shuttle services are in addition to the local government’s deployment of 28 Hatid Serbisyo fleets consisting of 11 flexi-trucks, 11 e-jeepneys and six e-tricycles that ply Muntinlupa’s provincial road, or Baybayin, to help frontliners and other Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APOR).
Under GCQ, the Department of Transportation implemented two phases for the resumption of public transportation.
Under phase 1 from June 1 to 21, trains and bus augmentation units, taxis, ride-hailing cars, shuttle services, point-to-point (P2P) buses and bicycles are allowed to operate at a limited capacity.
In phase 2 from June 22 to 30, public utility buses, modern PUVs and UV Express will be allowed to operate.
Fresnedi signed Executive Order No. 15 that allowed tricycles to operate under strict sanitary rules starting on May 25. Tricycles can operate under an odd-even number scheme from 5 a.m. to midnight. Only one passenger per tricycle is allowed and the maximum fare is P25.