More buses, lesser passengers in first week under GCQ

Passengers wait to board a bus in a temporary terminal for buses at the Talisay City side of the Cebu South Coastal Road in this May 20, 2020 photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The first week of the resumption of public transport in Cebu saw more vehicles than passengers, the regional Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-7) has noted.

LTFRB-7 Regional Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. said only a few passengers were able to travel since the implementation of the general community quarantine (GCQ) in Cebu province last Wednesday, May 20, 2020, because the cities of Mandaue and Cebu are still under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Mandaue City is considered the hub of manufacturing industries in Cebu while Cebu City is known to be the center of trading here.

“Gamay ra gyud ang pasahero tungod sa di man gud sila kalapos… Ang atong gi-deploy nga mga units, sakto ra gyud, sobra pa gani usahay kay gamay ra og sulod,” Montealto told CDN Digital.

“There are lesser passengers since they can’t get through. The units we deployed are enough, sometimes even more because there are lesser passengers on board.)

As the ECQ in the two cities continues, public utility buses coming from the north only plies until Consolacion town while those from the south use the space of a restaurant along the Talisay City’s side of the Cebu South Coastal Road as its temporary terminal.

LTFRB-7 has granted special permits to at least 462 buses across Central Visayas as the entire region, except the two cities, have been placed under GCQ. The number of buses is only 30 percent of the total registered in the region.

The majority of these buses operate in Cebu south, Cebu north, and the city of Lapu-Lapu, which is also under GCQ.

Montealto said they expect the number of passengers to at least match the number of operating PUB units when the two cities would have opened.

The national Interagency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases earlier classified Mandaue City to be under GCQ starting last May 16, however, the city has requested to remain under ECQ along with Cebu City pending the completion of its strategic mass rapid testing.

Meanwhile, the LTFRB-7 director also reminded those that have been allowed to operate to strictly observe the required health standards in order for them to continue operating.

READ: Public transport protocols still in place during GCQ

Among these requirements are for buses to have thermal scanners, to mark the seats that should be left vacant to observe physical distancing, and the mandatory wearing of facemasks for both passengers and bus staff.

A penalty of P5,000 for the first offense and P10,000 for the second offense will be imposed for bus units that would be found non-compliant with the safety guidelines.

The third offense, on the other hand, will carry a P15,000-fine and possible suspension or revocation of the PUB’s franchise. /bmjo