DOTr: PUV capacity to gradually increase to 100% starting Nov. 4

Passenger capacity in road and railway-based public transportation in Metro Manila will be gradually increased to full capacity beginning next week, Nov. 4, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced Friday, Oct. 29.

This, after the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases approved on Thursday, Oct. 28, the DOTr's proposal to slowly expand the passenger capacity of public utility vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR) for a month.

According to the DOTr, the increase will be implemented in a gradual manner beginning from 70 percent among road-based and rail-based public transport.

DOTr Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor said this development, along with the P1 billion cash aid from the government, will help PUV drivers cope with the effects of the pandemic and the skyrocketing fuel prices.

"This is a welcome development considering the burden on our PUV drivers and operators of implementing the limited passenger capacity rule which was aggravated by recent fuel price hikes," Pastor said.

"Ang DOTr, sa pamumuno po ni Secretary Art Tugade, ay ramdam at naiintindihan ang kanilang hinaing at hirap kung kaya naman kami ay nagpursige na itulak sa IATF na madagdagan na ang kapasidad sa public transport (The DOTr, under the leadership of Secretary Art Tugade, recognized their grievances and hardships that is why we strive to push for an increase in public transport capacity)," he added.

Public transportation drivers and operators were among the hardest hit by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic as passenger capacity was maintained at 50 percent due to previous restrictions.

Increasing passenger capacity, the DOTr emphasized, will translate to higher revenue for the public transport sector, considering the increase in expenses brought by rising fuel prices.

The DOTr's proposal was also anchored on the argument that Metro Manila is currently placed under Alert Level 3, which resulted in greater demand for public transport as more people are going out and more businesses are now open.

The DOTr likewise argued that a high vaccination rate prompts an increase in allowed PUV capacity. Around 81.4 percent of Metro Manila’s population is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

A memorandum will be issued by the DOTr and its attached agencies to implement the gradual increase in passenger capacity in road and rail transportation while implementing strictly health and safety protocols to help prevent the spread of the virus.