The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is offering free rides for commuters who are considered as authorized person outside of residence (APOR) as the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) limits the availability of public transportation.
Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Saturday, August 7, that the military's "Libreng Sakay" program will be implemented by the Joint Task Force (JTF)-NCR throughout the ECQ period from August 6 to 20.
"In addition to securing our communities in coordination with our law enforcers, our Armed Forces of the Philippines has started offering 'Libreng Sakay' to our commuting APORs," he said.
The JTF-NCR is offering free rides in three routes across the metro. These are:
Route 1. Gil Puyat (LRT 1) to Quezon Avenue via Taft and Espana
Route 2. SM Fairview to Quezon Avenue (via Commonwealth)
Route 3. SM Masinag to Cubao MRT 3
Captain Prad Adaptante, JTF-NCR public affairs officer, said around 500 military men were manning Quarantine Control Points (QCPs) with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to maintain traffic in NCR and its border areas amid the strict lockdown.
JTF-NCR personnel were also deployed in various quarantine facilities at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium and Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila; and Solaire-PAGCOR Mega Quarantine Facility in Paranaque City "to ensure strict adherence to protocols and proper monitoring of isolated individuals."
Adaptante said they were also conducting information dissemination activities about the ECQ rules in different barangays through "loudspeaker operations. Through this, Loudspeakers are mounted on moving trucks that rove around communities to remind residents to follow the minimum public health standards and the ban on non-APORs from goint outside of their homes.
Last year, when ECQ was first implemented in NCR, the AFP mobilized 48 buses and trucks to help mobilize hundreds of stranded commuters on the streets.