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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider AFP rolls out military trucks, buses to ferry stranded health, emergency workers

AFP rolls out military trucks, buses to ferry stranded health, emergency workers

Published Mar 18, 2020 12:00 am
By Martin Sadongdong The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have started mobilizing its military vehicles on Tuesday night ferry health workers and other emergency personnel who were stranded in checkpoints because of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. Several checkpoints were established in Luzon with 65 of them in Metro Manila to limit the movement of people and slow down the spread of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Mass transport systems such as trains, buses, jeepneys, tricycles, utility vehicle (UV) express, motorcycle taxis, and transport network vehicle services (TNVS), among others, were suspended when the enhanced quarantine took effect on Tuesday. Among those exempted from the quarantine are health workers, authorized government officials, those traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons, persons transiting to airports, those providing basic services and public utilities, and essential skeletal workforce. Gen. Felimon Santos Jr., AFP Chief of Staff, approved the deployment of two military buses and four trucks to ferry health workers and other stranded motorists from Santolan-EDSA in Quezon City to Balintawak, Quezon City and vice versa. The Philippine Army dispatched 18 trucks to provide free rides to those exempted from the travel ban.
Here are the routes of the free rides provided by the Army:
  • Guadalupe, Makati to SM North Edsa, Quezon City
  • Sm North Eda, Quezon City to Fairview, Quezon City
  • CAVITEx to Manila area
  • Mall of Asia, Pasay to Parañaque City
  • Ortigas Center to Sampaloc, Manila
  • Ortigas, Mandaluyong City to Taytay, Rizal
  • Araneta Center Cubao, Quezon City to SM Masinag, Antipolo
Nine trucks were deployed to pick up commuters from the Mall of Asia in Pasay City to Santolan-EDSA and vice versa while the remaining nine trucks were deployed in Masinag, Antipolo. "We will adjust as necessary to be able to ferry the most who need it," said Colonel Ramon Zagala, Army spokesman. On Wednesday morning, the Army also started picking up medical professionals, health workers, and hospital support service staff of the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City via military trucks deployed in Monumento, Caloocan City. The Philippine Navy dispatched seven M35 trucks to EDSA corner Roxas Boulevard to transport those who were stranded, according to Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, acting director of Naval Public Affairs Office. Navy buses stationed at Manila-Cavite Expressway (CAVITEx), South Luzon Expressway (SLEx), and Marikina City also rendered services, Roxas added. According to Maj. Gen. Ernesto Torres Jr., acting AFP spokesperson, the public has nothing to fear should they see military vehicles on the streets as they are being utilized to ease the burden of stranded commuters, especially health workers who are the frontliners in the fight to contain COVID-19. He also appealed to those who are not exempted from the enhanced quarantine to cooperate and stay at home. "The public is encouraged to stay home in order to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and as a consequence, save lives," Torres said.
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