DOTr Opens All Public Transport As Metropolis Recovers From Quarantine

As modes of public transportation have gradually resumed, the metropolis is also slowly going back to life with many workers returning in the road after more than two months of being cooped up at home during the hard lockdown.

- Alexandria Dennise San Juan

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) rolled out on Monday the second phase of public transport revival, allowing modernized jeepneys to gradually resume operations on 15 rationalized routes. UV Express units, the Department said, will be authorized to operate within the month.

The resumption of mass transit is being implemented by the DOTr in two phases. Trains, bus augmentations, taxis, transport network vehicle services (TNVS), shuttle services, point-to-point (P2P) buses, and bicycles have been allowed in the first phase from June 1 to 21 after Metro Manila’s shift into General Community Quarantine (GCQ).

Based on the latest data provided by the DOTr, a total of 20,429 TNVS units, 19,238 taxis, and 271 P2P buses in 28 routes are currently operating in the capital region.

While many commuters were stranded on the first days into GCQ, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) gradually opened 30 rationalized routes for city buses to ferry more essential commuters in the Greater Manila Area.

Prior to this, the DOTr and its attached agencies have been initiating programs since the enforcement of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) which began mid-March that mandated the shutdown of all modes of transportation, until the transition to a more relaxed GCQ this month.

Road Sector

Since public transportation suspended operations during ECQ, the DOTr has launched its Free Ride for Health Workers Program which aims to ferry medical frontliners going to their workplaces.

As of June 19, a total of 1,188,420 health workers nationwide have been transported via the 20 routes under the program. The free ride routes in Metro Manila were also integrated by the DOTr and different local government units (LGUs) to several online maps such as Google Maps and Sakay.PH.