DOTr orders transport sector to limit number of passengers in PUVs

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) will be limiting passengers in all public utility vehicles (PUVs) in Metro Manila to boost the implementation of social distancing as part of a health protocol to further contain the coronavirus disease in the country.

The guidelines for social distancing is required after the government placed Metro Manila under community quarantine due to the soaring cases of COVID-19.

Community quarantine will start from March 15 until April 14 this year.

Under the guidelines of the transportation department issued on Saturday, the following are the required limit for passengers:

• Taxis, Transportation Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) including airport taxis — four passengers only including driver, one seat apart
• UV Express — not more than six passengers, including driver, one seat apart
• Old units of public utility jeepneys — passengers should be not more than regular capacity of driver, one seat apart
• For Omnibus Franchising Guidelines compliant units (Class 2 and Class 3) — passengers should be not more than 1/2 of seating capacity, one seat apart, no standing passenger
• For public utility buses, not more than 25 passengers including driver and conductor, one seat apart without standing passenger

No multiple bookings

For TNVS and motorcycle taxis, multiple bookings for a single trip will be suspended and prohibited.

Based on memorandum from Malacañang, travel for community quarantine are as follows:

1.  Restrict the non-essential entry and exit of people to the contained area, especially persons who are at high risk of being infected including 60 years old and above, immunocompromised or with co-morbidities and pregnant women.
2. Excluded from the prohibition are “health workers, authorized government officials, those traveling for medical or humanitarian reasons, persons transiting to airports for travel abroad, persons providing basic services and public utilities, and essential skeletal workforce.”
3. All persons leaving the infected community must be observed for signs and symptoms at exit checkpoints where appropriate certification will be issued by the “competent health authority (DOH or Provincial/City/Municipal Health Officer), health authority endorses exiting person to recipient LGU, exiting persons to undertake 14-day home based quarantine, and LGUs are required to monitor implementation of home-based quarantine.” / JPV