A transport group leader called on the government to open more routes to keep drivers from begging as well as to serve more passengers returning to their work as the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) remains in place in Metro Manila.

Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators ng Pilipinas (LTOP) president Orlando Marquez said at least 60 to70 percent of public utility jeepney (PUJ) routes in Metro Manila and nearby provinces are still not operational even months after the enforcement of a more relaxed lockdown.  

“Yung aming major thoroughfare na ruta ng mga jeepney sana ay mabuksan na at mapayagan na para hindi na namamalimos sa kalsada yung ating mga kasamahan sa jeepney transport sector (We hope that our jeepney routes in major thoroughfares be opened so drivers will go back to work instead of begging on the streets),” Marquez said in a Laging Handa virtual briefing on Saturday.

“Ang hinihiling namin, sana po ay makapasada na ang aming mga ruta. Marami po, lalo na sa probinsya ng Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite na pumapasok sa Metro Manila ay hindi pa po nakakapasada ngayon (What we are asking for is for us to be able to ply our routes again. Many routes are still not operational such as those from nearby provinces like Bulacan, Rizal, and Cavite, bound for Metro Manila),” he added.

Some of the major routes that are still not operational are Cubao to Antipolo, Guadalupe to FTI, and the Alabang-Zapote-Baclaran routes which are routes that the transport group leader hopes to be approved.

According to Marquez, PUJ drivers and operators are ready to follow health protocols set by the Transportation and Health departments once they resumed operations.

“Libu-libo po ang mga tao na lumalabas na ngayon at kami naman ay susunod sa protocol ng ating gobyerno na magkaroon ng face mask, face shield, mga alcohol, listahan o registration ng mga pasahero. Kami po ay nakahandang sumunod (Thousands of people are going out now and we assure that we will abide by the protocols set by the government such as the mandatory wearing of face mask, face shield, and the required health declaration form for passengers for contact tracing purposes. We are ready to follow these protocols),” he emphasized.

Marquez pointed out that their group hopes to be allowed back on the road and start earning for their families again as many of their driver-members have not received assistance supposed to have been allocated for displaced PUJ drivers.

He said that his group estimates that only 20 percent of jeepney drivers have so far received the aid.

Marquez also called on the public to help address the plight of jeepney drivers who lost their livelihood amid the health crisis

“Sana po yung mga may puso na mga gusto rin makatulong ay tumulong po dahil hanggang ngayon po ay maramin pa ring mga ruta ang hindi pumapasada (I hope the kind-hearted who are willing to help the drivers will extend assistance because until now there are still many routes that are closed),” Marquez said.

The transport sector has been among the hardest-hit by the enforcement of lockdowns which mandated the suspension of all forms of public transportation from mid-March, thus cutting the main source of income of thousands of PUV drivers and operators that left many of them begging in the streets for money and food.