Passengers are now required to use the StaySafe.ph mobile application for contact tracing purposes inside all public utility vehicles (PUVs), the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said on Wednesday, June 23.
Based on LTFRB's Memorandum Circular (MC) 2021-041 dated June 21, all PUV operators have been mandated to "immediately shift from the previous manual filling-up of contact tracing forms to the use of StaySafe.ph app".
According to the LTFRB, the directive was in line with the order released in December last year by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Under IATF Resolution No. 87, public transportation units are required to secure a Safety Seal, which shall include the adoption of the StaySafe application--the government's primary contact tracing tool to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
As per the MC, PUV operators were given 30 days to comply with the directive.
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"Failure to comply shall be considered as a violation of IATF health protocols, and the corresponding penalties shall be imposed," the circular stated.
The LTFRB likewise reminded drivers, operators, and passengers to strictly enforce and follow the minimum health standards, as well as the seven commandments for public transportation while inside the vehicle to contain the spread of COVID-19.