The Philippine National Police (PNP) has deployed several vehicles to ease the commuting woes of essential workers amid the strict implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila.
PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar said the police vehicles will not only providing free rides but those who would avail them will also be given personal protective gears against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
"Passengers will also be provided with face masks, bottled waters, and useful information materials as supplies allow," said Eleazar.
"This is to help ease the burden of the APORs amid the limited operation of public transportation due to the implementation of the ECQ in NCR. This is the PNP’s way of reaching out to citizens by providing mobility and other extended services to APORs so that they could attend to their work with convenience even while the ECQ is in effect," he added.
Eleazar said the PNP's LIbreng Sakay is now traversing 10 routes within Metro Manila and nearby provinces daily, beginning 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The routes are as follows:
a. Central Terminal (Manila City Hall) to Quezon Avenue MRT 3 and vice-versa;
b. Camp Crame to “Tungko” San Jose Del Monte Bulacan (via Commonwealth Ave.) and vice-versa;
c. Camp Crame to Rodriguez Rizal (via Litex) and vice-versa;
d. Camp Crame to Taytay (via Ortigaz) and vice-versa;
e. Camp Crame to Meycauayan, Bulacan (via Mc Arthur Highway) and vice versa;
f. Camp Crame to Antipolo City and vice-versa;
g. Pasay to Monumento (EDSA) North Bound and vice-versa;
h. Monumento to Pasay Taft (EDSA) South Bound and vice-versa;
i. Camp Crame to Zapote, Bacoor, Cavite and vice-versa; and
j. Camp Crame to Novaliches and vice-versa.
Eleazar said the police vehicles will be manned by PNP personnel who were instructed to ensure that the health and safety protocols are strictly observed.
Metro Manila will be under ECQ until August 20, the move was part of the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, amid the rising infection cases, particularly the Delta variant.
The Philippines has been placed under high risk category anew over the upsurge of COVID-19 cases in the past days.