BUS TRIPS RESUME JUNE 1

Dako og changes kay katong usual nga patient namin kay makagawas sulod mi sa Ilang kwarto anytime mi manglimpyo. Pero karon limit amoang exposure labaw na pag positive ang patient... Although naka PPE mi, giingnan mi sa infection control nga limit lang mi musulod sa room sa positive. RUBY JEAN ESQUEJA A housekeeper at Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC)

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said bus trips are set to resume on June 1 but only one trip per day will be available for available routes.

Duterte-Carpio said in a radio interview on Friday, May 29, that according to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Davao Region (LTFRB-Davao), the bus routes will be between Davao City and destinations in the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao de Oro.

These destinations include Monkayo, Nabunturan, New Bataan, Maragusan, Laak, and Pantukan of Davao de Oro; Gov. Generoso, Mati City, and Boston in Davao Oriental; and Tagum, and Talaingod in Davao del Norte.

She added the bus trips will be on a “first-come, first-serve” basis”, and that it will originate at the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (Dcott).

The resumption of the provincial bus trips from Davao City marks the first day of the modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) in the entire Davao Region, except Davao City, which will remain under a general community quarantine (GCQ) as recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) until June 15.

Under the IATF-EID guidelines, the movement of persons between areas under GCQ or MGCQ is allowed, except for leisure purposes.

SunStar Davao reached out to LTFRB-Davao director Armand Dioso for further information on the bus trips, but he has not responded as of press time.

The agency earlier announced that bus trips between Davao City and the different cities and towns in the region will resume on May 25.

However, it did not push through after various local government units within the region declined to accept passengers coming from Davao City as they still have to establish their health screening protocols at their respective borders.

On May 25, bus trips within the region resumed but only within Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro, as well as within Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental,

while travel to and from Davao Oriental has yet to be announced then.

Dioso said in a previous radio interview that all buses should be equipped with thermal scanners and disinfectants.

He also said those with a body temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or higher are not allowed to board. Those ages 21 years old and younger, and 60 years old and older are not allowed to travel.

LTFRB-Davao also said operation hours of buses will be between 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

He also said buses are only allowed to cater to 50 percent of its seating capacity.

Buses are only allowed to board passengers from the terminals. Drop-off and pick up along the highway are strictly not allowed.

Dcott head Aisa Usop said the city’s bus terminal is prepared for the resumption of bus trips. They have been preparing even before the shift to GCQ.

Usop said the Dcott terminal will implement strict health measures to ensure the safety of travelers amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.