‘Curfew as quick fix vs Covid to hurt workers’

“The policy must be simple: to lessen the inconvenience brought to these workers who will still commute during a time when it is not easy to find public transportation especially during curfew hours,” he said.

The Department of Transportation (DOTR) ordered last year the limited operations of public transport systems, cutting their capacities between 30 percent and 50 percent in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Morillo said that the situation further worsens at night, as fewer public transport options are available for commuters.

“This is especially true for those who ride the Edsa Bus Carousel System. Some workers choose to book TNVS units or taxicabs instead, but we need to understand that most of them can’t afford this luxury,” he added, referring to transport network vehicle services like Grab.

Morillo also appealed to the transport department to allow more public utility vehicles (PUV) to ply routes.

“Bus and jeepney passengers know the rules and we believe that most of them want to obey these rules. However, it is a fact that there is a supply problem in the current public transportation landscape and this is a great hindrance in how to effectively implement our Covid-19 protocols,” he said.

He said commuters are forced to crowd in public transport systems because of the dearth in units, which could potentially increase the threat of spreading the virus.

“This is clearly a problem of the lack of spaces for PUV passengers and it is the reason why commuters are left with no choice but to occupy remaining seats or even bus aisles meant to be vacant for social distancing. It will be very helpful if the DOTR will give a go-signal for more PUVS on our roads,” Morillo added.

He clarified, however, that the group is supportive of the protocols. What needs to be done, he said, is for the government to deploy more units on the road in order to ensure that health and safety protocols are properly implemented.

“With the most recent rise in active cases, it is even more pressing for us to look for measures that will truly make our protocols more practicable,” Morillo said.

Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro echoed this sentiment, noting in a radio interview that many workers desperate to reach work or go home during rush hours often cram into the limited spaces in public transport, heightening the risk of Covid transmission. The solution, he said, is to simply increase the supply of units plying the road.

THE People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said eating veggie burgers could help save not only cows or even chickens even the planet, too.

In the Philippines, PETA said there are local initiatives to shun traditional meat burgers, whether hamburger, beef burger or chicken burger and for that, PETA is all-praises for the patties that make the cows happy.

Made from good-for-you ingredients such as jackfruit, mushrooms, tofu, beans, and unmeat, veggie burgers are tasty and animal-friendly—unlike meat-based ones.

According to PETA, cows killed for meat are raised on filthy feedlots, transported in all weather extremes to slaughterhouses, and strung up by one leg before their throats are slit, sometimes while they’re still conscious. It’s no wonder more and more people are opting for burgers without murder!

PETA has named the 12 best veggie burgers made locally in the Philippines served by restaurants across the country.

They are:

The Green Bar’s Wild Thing Bacun Cheeseburger (Makati City), featuring a house-made seitan and jackfruit patty topped with “bacun” strips, onion rings, vegan mozzarella cheese, lettuce, and chipotle mayo on a toasted bun; Shakey’s The Goood Burger (nationwide), featuring an unmeat patty topped with all the trimmings, as well as vegan dressing, sandwiched together with lettuce;

Green Spot’s Heartburger (Quezon City), made up of five types of grilled veggies, topped with vegan mayonnaise and all the trimmings, and served with a side of potato wedges;

But Better’s Loaded Protein Burger (Taguig City), a protein-packed burger served with melted vegan cheese, mushrooms, homemade relish and all the trimmings;

Shaka’s Sloppy José (Panglao Island, Bohol), featuring a bean patty topped with caramelized fresh pineapple, corn, green chili, jalapeño salsa, guacamole and a vegan cheese sauce;

ivegan’s Black Bean Burger (Makati City), including a special cheesy vegan sauce and all the trimmings, served with a side salad and a roasted sweet potato;

Three Guys and a Grill’s The Woke Burger (Cebu City and Makati City), a black bean patty topped with vegan mayo and all the trimmings;

Cosmic’s Mushroom Burger (Makati City), featuring a homemade mushroom patty with all the trimmings sandwiched between sourdough bread, served with a side of fries;

Lun-haw Vegan Cafe’s Vegan Burger (Cebu City), made with mung beans and potato, paired with a vegan sauce and all the trimmings and served with a side of air-fried fries;

Corner Tree Café’s Baked Tofu Walnut Burger (Makati City), with vegan mayo and all the trimmings piled on a healthy baked patty, served with sweet potato fri es or some greens;

Chill Gorilla Burgers’ King Kong Burger (Davao City), with not one but two patties on a buttered bun topped with mayo and a cheese sauce—all vegan, of course—as well as all the trimmings; and

Bec and Geri’s Vegan Steak Burger (Las Piñas), a house-made “ground steak ” patty with barbecue garlic sauce, pineapple, and all the trimmings.

“It’s so easy to help prevent cows— who feel joy, love, pain, and fear, just as humans, cats, dogs, and other animals do—from enduring a horrific death by leaving them off our plates,” PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker said in a news statement.

“With so many delicious and awardwinning veggie burgers to choose from in restaurants across the Philippines, it’s clear that vegan eating is skyrocketing in popularity,” he added.

Vegan burgers from companies like Beyond Meat are sweeping the world, including the Philippines and Burger King Philippines even offers a veggie burger on its menu, PETA noted.

Eat veggies, save the planet

WHAT’S more? Eating veggie burgers instead of meat burgers also helps fight climate change.

Nirali Shah, senior campaigner of PETA Asia said by not eating meat produced on the farm, people can also help save the planet.

“We cannot discuss ways to mitigate climate change without addressing the dire consequences of animal agriculture. As we face a climate emergency, the solution is staring all of us right in the face—we need to stop eating meat, dairy and eggs,” she said in an e-mail to the Businessmirror.

Shah explained that when land is used to raise animals instead of crops, precious water and soil are lost, trees are cut down to make the land for grazing or factory-farm sheds and untreated animal waste pollutes rivers and streams.

She cited a United Nations report, highlighting that a global shift to vegan eating is required to combat the worst effects of climate change, as animal agriculture alone is responsible for nearly one-fifth of human-induced greenhouse-gas emissions. In nearly every step of meat, egg, and milk production, climate-changing gases are released into the atmosphere, disrupting weather, temperature, and the health of our ecosystem.