Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 18) — Despite the gradual resumption of public transport, provincial buses are still not allowed on the road, the Department of Transportation clarified.
DOTr Road Sector Senior Consultant Engr. Bert Suansing, in a Laging Handa briefing on Thursday, said the challenge for provincial buses is they need to get the consent of local governments whose areas they will be passing through.
“Hangga’t di nangyayari yun (unit this does not happen), that’s also in coordination with DILG, the bus operations for provincial bus operations will continue to be suspended.”
Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a separate briefing that the Inter-Agency Task Force will deliberate on whether or not to allow provincial buses to operate by June 22, which is when the DOTr’s two-phase program for the resumption of public transport is supposed to take effect under the previous plan.
“Kung maalala niyo po, pinresenta rin namin dito yung second phase ng plano ng DOTr at kasama po diyan ang operasyon ng provincial buses, pero ang assumption po nun eh magiging MGCQ na po ang Metro Manila,” he explained.
[Translation: If you recall, we previously presented the second phase of DOTr’s plan and it included the operation of provincial buses, but the assumption then was Metro Manila would already be under MGCQ (modified general community quarantine).]
Earlier this week, Roque announced the capital region shall remain under general community quarantine until June 30.
City buses along with modern jeepneys have been allowed to operate on the said date, while traditional jeepneys will be permitted only if the number of the said vehicles will turn out to be insufficient, noted the Palace.
The government had also re-allowed P2P (point-to-point) buses along with taxis and TNVS (transport network vehicle service) units back on the road under GCQ provided they only accommodate a limited number of passengers.
