Passenger capacity in the rail and land-based public transportation services in Metro Manila and adjacent provinces is set to increase to 70 percent starting Thursday, Nov. 4.
This, as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) starts the implementation of the gradual increase in passenger capacity in rail lines and selected public utility vehicles (PUVs) for a month until they reach 100 percent capacity.
The move was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases last Oct. 28 amid the continuous decline in COVID-19 infections in the country, coupled with the government’s aggressive vaccination rollout.
Under Memorandum Circular 2021-064 issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Tuesday, Nov. 2, passenger buses, jeepneys, and UV Express services in Metro Manila and the provinces of Laguna, Rizal, Cavite, and Bulacan may operate under the approved passenger capacity.
Aside from the downward trend in COVID-19 cases, LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III emphasized the need to increase passenger capacity in PUVs due to the growing demand for public transportation as quarantine restrictions are beginning to ease and more businesses are reopening.
He added that the increase in passenger capacity will also help cushion the impact of the pandemic and the recent hike in fuel prices on the livelihood of PUV drivers and operators.
“The livelihood of public transport drivers and operators was severely affected with passenger capacity in public transport maintained at 50 percent. Increasing passenger capacity will mean a higher revenue for the public transport sector lalo’t mas marami ng tao ang pinapayagang lumabas (especially as many people are now allowed to go out),” Delgra said.
Plastic barriers not required
The LTFRB chief also clarified that plastic barriers inside public utility jeepneys are not required, provided that proper physical distancing is observed, and passengers practice health and safety protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Hindi po DOTr ang nag-require na magkaroon ng plastic barrier sa pagitan ng mga pasahero ng pampublikong sasakyan gaya ng jeepney. Ang inilabas na protocol ng DOTr noon ay ang pag-install ng plastic barrier upang ihiwalay ang drayber sa pasahero noong tayo ay nasa GCQ (general community quarantine) noong nakaraang taon (The DOTr did not require plastic barriers between passengers. The protocol that released was to install a plastic barrier to separate the driver and the passengers when we are under GCQ),” he added.
Railway capacity also up to 70%
More passengers will also be allowed to board in the major railway systems in the National Capital Region (NCR) starting Thursday, the DOTr Undersecretary for Railways TJ Batan said.
The Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 (LRT-1 and LRT-2), Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3), and the Philippine National Railway (PNR) have been permitted to implement the increase in their passenger capacity to 70 percent from the current 30 percent.
Here are the estimated number of passengers that can be accommodated in the rail lines per train set:
• LRT-1
30% capacity: 337 (1G trains), 407 (2G trains), 416 (3G trains)
70% capacity: 785 (1G trains), 951 (2G trains), 972 (3G trains)
• LRT-2
30% capacity: 488
70% capacity: 1,140
• MRT-3
30% capacity: 372
70% capacity: 827
• PNR
30% capacity: 286
70% capacity: 667
“Studies have shown that only 0.2 percent of traceable outbreaks in Germany were linked to transport; only 1.2 percent of COVID-19 clusters are linked to transport (land, air, and sea); and that there is only a 0.01 percent chance of contracting COVID-19 in public transportation, with the probability decreasing to 0.005 percent risk of infection with face covering,” Batan noted.
Despite the ease in quarantine restrictions and the gradual increase in passenger capacity, the DOTr reminded drivers and passengers to observe the following seven commandments inside public transport:
1. Wear masks and face shields
2. No talking and making phone calls
3. No eating
4. Keep public utility vehicles well-ventilated
5. Conduct frequent disinfection
6. No passengers with COVID-19 symptoms are to be allowed inside the public transportation
7. Observe appropriate physical distancing rule