The Pasay City government will now require passengers riding public transportation to wear a face shield in addition to a face mask as an additional health protocol against the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
According to Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano, the mandatory wearing of face shields while riding public transportation is in accordance with Memorandum Circular 2020-014 of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) stating that all officials or heads of various transportation sectors must "enjoin within their respective jurisdiction the mandatory wearing of face shields aside from face masks for all passengers in areas where public transportation is allowed effective 15 August 2020.”
Rubiano said that as part of their implementation of the mandatory wearing of face shields, she told Ace Sevilla, head of the city's Tricycle and Pedicab Franchising and Regulatory Office (TPFRO), to issue a memorandum to all tricycle drivers and operators in Pasay City about the city government’s “no face shield, no ride” policy.
She said they are applying the policy on tricycles because these are the only forms of public transportation allowed by the city government to operate after Mega Manila was placed under modified enhanced community quarantine from Aug. 4 to 18.
The mayor also said that according to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), the wearing of a face shield further reduces virus transmission in low ventilation settings.
“Ang pagsusuot ng face shields sa pampublikong transportasyon ay magiging bahagi na ng minimum health protocols laban sa virus, kasama ang pagsusuot ng face mask, pag-obserba ng physical distancing, at regular na paghuhugas ng kamay. Nananawagan ako sa lahat ng mga Pasayeño pati sa mga bumibisita sa ating lungsod, na makipag-cooperate sa ganitong hakbangin. Ito ay para sa kapakanan ng lahat (The wearing of face shields in public transportation will now be part of the minimum health protocols against the virus, including the wearing of face masks, observing physical distancing, and regular washing of hands. I am calling on all Pasayeños as well as those visiting the city to cooperate with this measure. This is for the good of all)," Rubiano said.
Sevilla said he has talked with and issued a memorandum to all tricycle drivers and operators to implement the city government’s “no face shield, no ride” measure starting Aug. 10.
He also enjoined them to display the announcement on the DOTr policy at their terminals.
The TPFRO head also said about 4,000 tricycles were allowed to operate in the city, on a schedule based on a color-coding scheme to give everyone equal opportunity to work.
Sevilla said tricycles with pink stickers were allowed to operate on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and those with green stickers on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.