DOTr, MMDA bare plans for resumption of F2F classes

FILE: Passengers board a bus at the Edsa Carousel busway in Monumento, Caloocan City. (PNA photo by Joey Razon)

MANILA – An official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday proposed the opening of additional routes and reviving pre-pandemic city bus routes to ensure efficient transport in time for the resumption of face-to-face classes in August.

DOTr Undersecretary for Road and Transport Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor also recommended an increase in the deployment of public utility vehicles through “formulation and mandating compliance to service plans” or the deployment of 90 percent to 100 percent of authorized PUVs during peak hours.

“Upon the directive of Secretary [Jaime] Bautista, the DOTr Road Sector ramps up our plans and initiatives to ensure the safe and efficient service in public transportation amid the increase in passenger demand,” he said.

Apart from opening additional routes and reviving city bus routes particularly outside Edsa, Pastor also sought for the fast-tracking of fare review and evaluation of non-operational routes and introducing “developmental” routes.

His other recommendations include offering free rides for students on rail lines and at the Edsa busway and extending for another two years the life span of school services that have reached their 15-year maximum limit by December 2022.

READ: Commuters get free Edsa carousel bus rides until December

Pastor made the suggestions during a meeting at the Light Rail Transit Authority Command Center in Pasay City, where DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista convened the line agencies and other government offices to discuss and prepare for the resumption of classes.

In the meeting, Bautista sought recommendations to achieve an “accessible, affordable, comfortable, and safe” travel experience for all commuters, especially students.

“There is indeed a need for different agencies to meet and discuss problems and possible solutions, which we will encounter when face-to-face classes start in August,” Bautista said.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Officer-in-Charge Baltazar Melgar, who was also present at the meeting, said the agency would deploy 2,238 personnel along major roads and in high-density schools in Metro Manila. About 581 traffic enforcers will be distributed to assist in 148 schools.

To assist public transportation, he said four MMDA buses and two military trucks would be deployed to provide free rides to the public daily.

In addition, he said the Pasig River Ferry — operated by the MMDA — will offer free rides for commuters from Mondays to Saturdays in all of its 13 stations.

Present during the inter-agency meeting were Department of Education Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III, Commission on Higher Education Executive Director Cinderella Filipina Benitez-Jaro, Land Transportation Office Officer-in-Charge Romeo Vera Cruz, and Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board Chair Cheloy Garafil.

They were also joined by Light Rail Manila Corp. President & CEO Juan Alfonso, Philippine National Police – National Capital Regional Police Office Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torres III, Metro Rail Transit OIC Engr. Ofelia Astrera, Philippine National Railways OIC Celeste Lauta, Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Artemio Abu, Light Rail Transit Authority OIC Paul Chua, and Armed Forces of the Philippines Joint Task Force NCR Deputy Commander Col. Romel Recinto.