Quezon City 5th district Rep. Alfred Vargas has called on the national government to address the shortage of public transportation, emphasizing that the government has not effectively addressed the transportation crisis.
“The shortage in public transportation has not been effectively addressed ever since the national government allowed businesses and commercial establishments to resume full operations,” Vargas said in a statement on Sunday, June 26.
“We have workers who have spent two years struggling to survive and businesses that barely stayed open. Now that the government has allowed businesses to resume operations, our workers struggle daily to get to work on time, and then go through the same ordeal to get home to their families,” he continued.
The House Social Services Chair speculated that overcrowding at transport hubs around the National Capital Region (NCR) had contributed to the rising number of Covid-19 cases.
“The NCR is the country’s economic and business center. Any disruption in economic activities caused by a surge in cases will surely affect the economy and we cannot let that happen again,” Vargas said.
Vargas added that local government units (LGUs) should push to quell the rising Covid-19 cases; and that LGUs should more strictly enforce health protocols.
“What we have established is that local governments have the advantage of knowing existing conditions at the granular level and can, therefore, address the issue more effectively. At this stage in our fight against the pandemic, our LGUs should receive timely guidance from the national agencies concerned, particularly on issues concerning healthcare management. The LGUs should continue to lead, and the national government should provide the guidance, and, if needed, support in terms of resources,” he added.
“It is the duty and responsibility of local authorities, owners of establishments, and the public to make sure that health protocols continue to be observed. These protocols have not been lifted and should still be enforced,” Vargas said.