Increase PUVs to meet demand, Sen. Poe urges gov't
Published Jun 1, 2020 12:00 am
By Vanne Elaine TerrazolaÂ
The government should increase the number of public utility vehicles (PUVs) on the road to meet the demand of commuters for transportation during the general community quarantine (GCQ), Senator Grace Poe said on Monday, June 1.
Senator Grace Poe
(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) The first day of the GCQ in Metro Manila saw hordes of people struggling to get to their workplaces due to the evident lack of public transport vehicles. "Clearly, the mass transportation we have now does not meet the surge of people who have come out of quarantine to begin working again to feed their families," said Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services. "The long lines of commuters in bus stations, workers walking to offices and people scampering to get on every available ride should not be part of the new normal under GCQ," she stressed. The government, she said, "must show it is on top of the situation and take the necessary action to make available more PUVs without compromising safety". She said safety protocols and proper signage should be placed on public transportation as well as establishments, malls and other economic hubs that are allowed to operate under the GCQ. Poe also called on companies and businesses to help lessen the number of people who would have to go out and commute by continuing to enforce work-from-home schemes. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, however, maintained that the resumption of mass transportation should be "gradual, partial, calculated and limited." He added the government did not promise that it will be able to serve all the commuters during the GCQ. "Nakikiusap kami na bigyan ninyo kami ng pasensya at understanding 'pagkat ito ay ginagawa namin (We appeal for understanding while we are doing this). Wala kaming ipinangako o sinabi na ang transportasyon ay magiging extensive (We did not promise or issued any statement that transportation will be extensive) and will meet the requirement of all on the first day of the GCQ and even in the duration of the GCQ," Tugade said in an interview with CNN Philippines. "Ang buwis-buhay na paglabas ng bahay para lamang makarating sa hanapbuhay ang ating mga kababayan ay dapat tapatan ng pamahalaan ng simbigat na pananagutan at katugunan," Poe said.
Senator Grace Poe(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) The first day of the GCQ in Metro Manila saw hordes of people struggling to get to their workplaces due to the evident lack of public transport vehicles. "Clearly, the mass transportation we have now does not meet the surge of people who have come out of quarantine to begin working again to feed their families," said Poe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Services. "The long lines of commuters in bus stations, workers walking to offices and people scampering to get on every available ride should not be part of the new normal under GCQ," she stressed. The government, she said, "must show it is on top of the situation and take the necessary action to make available more PUVs without compromising safety". She said safety protocols and proper signage should be placed on public transportation as well as establishments, malls and other economic hubs that are allowed to operate under the GCQ. Poe also called on companies and businesses to help lessen the number of people who would have to go out and commute by continuing to enforce work-from-home schemes. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, however, maintained that the resumption of mass transportation should be "gradual, partial, calculated and limited." He added the government did not promise that it will be able to serve all the commuters during the GCQ. "Nakikiusap kami na bigyan ninyo kami ng pasensya at understanding 'pagkat ito ay ginagawa namin (We appeal for understanding while we are doing this). Wala kaming ipinangako o sinabi na ang transportasyon ay magiging extensive (We did not promise or issued any statement that transportation will be extensive) and will meet the requirement of all on the first day of the GCQ and even in the duration of the GCQ," Tugade said in an interview with CNN Philippines. "Ang buwis-buhay na paglabas ng bahay para lamang makarating sa hanapbuhay ang ating mga kababayan ay dapat tapatan ng pamahalaan ng simbigat na pananagutan at katugunan," Poe said.